


Polarity

by ElleMi



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Alcohol, Anxiety, Awkwardness, Body Horror, Character Development, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Children Who Kill, Creampie, Cutting, Depression, Drunk Sex, Escapism, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Hallucinations, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Incest, LGBTQ Female Character of Color, Masturbation, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Night Terrors, Oral Sex, POV Multiple, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Phase Four (Gorillaz), Phase Three (Gorillaz), Phase Two (Gorillaz), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Psychosis, Quickies, Rape Aftermath, Revenge, Rough Sex, Self-Harm, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Supernatural Elements, Torture, Triggers, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-11 00:13:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 62
Words: 289,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11702769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElleMi/pseuds/ElleMi
Summary: Opposites attract; sunny 2-D and damaged O.C. find balance in each other. Meryn Jakes is a sarcastic cynic, too proud to face her faults, and a recurring tendency to run away from shame. On the other side of the coin, she feels too deeply and takes care of others before herself. Crossing paths with a band and their eccentric members, she finds that life is sweet in the presence of certain starless space eyed sweetheart. The two have something to gain from each other; Meryn has the backbone 2D needs, and he can provide her with the light she's lost. Their relationship blossoms with time, but will they always compliment each other or will they be too different to last?Overall, this a slow burn love story with friendship elements and heavily described hypersexual encounters in later chapters. The realistic effects of childhood trauma, young experimental incest, and rape will come into play every so often. Because of that, violent or psychotic episodes are present in a handful of chapters. PTSD varies from person to person based on their experiences; I will depict the violent/angry side that I'm unable to explore in real life.Phase 2: Complete (Chapters 1 - 20)Phase 3: In Progress (Chapters 21 - 71)





	1. Jet Lag

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to create someone that 2D would benefit from. Bless his adorable heart. O.C. has what he needs but isn't perfect. I put a bit of my own struggles into the O.C., the difference is she has the gall to do things I am unable to.

Wispy purple locks grazed over sun-kissed shoulders, the fringe brushed against the eyes of a rather aloof looking girl. Although she sat comfortably in the window seat of a crowded airplane she was undeniably tired. Exhausted even. Rubbing her eyes she peered out the window at the lives going on below. Tiny houses and ant-like cars on the highways go about their day.  
  
_Must be landing soon._  
  
Like clockwork, the bell of the intercom sounded.  
-Bing_  
"Good afternoon we will be landing in Manchester shortly, please remain seated as we begin our descent. Thank you."  
-Click-  
  
Leaning against the window it was impossible to not think of what this new beginning would be like. For years she lived overseas in Japan; coming back to an English speaking country was making her strangely anxious. More than anything she wanted to get the process over with.   
  
_Optimism._  
She held her head.  
Be optimistic.  
  
The life she was leaving behind continued to hinder her, eating away at any attempt to think positively. Probation as lifted, she'd gotten a job tutoring English to other college-bound students. She was desperately trying to move on for her grandparents who had put up with the constant instability she brought. She was tired of being the troublesome one and wanted so badly to just be normal to spare everyone else. Getting away seemed to be the only way to not be a bother, they were getting older after all. The last thing they needed was some neurotic wreck to shorten their lives. The coughing of the passenger sat beside her snapped her back to attention.  
  
"Excuse me," the sickly man turned his head away in an attempt to not cough directly in her face.  
  
"It's O.K. Feel better soon," a kind smile assured him she was unbothered.  
  
-Bing-  
"We are now landing in Manchester England, it is 3:34 P.M. and 13 C--"  
The rest of the captain speaking was just noise in her ears as her mind began to race on what to do next. She'd come spur the moment, a friend living in Brighton offered her a room until she got on her feet. The cabin shook at the landing on the runway, braking to a gradual stop. People flooded the isles stretching and reaching for the belongings. With a huff, she followed suit bending slightly to avoid bumping her head like she'd done on the first transfer.  
  
"You're um pretty tall for a young lady," the sickly man tried making conversation waiting for the aisle to clear.  
  
She forced a chuckle,"I get that a lot."  
  
The otherwise awkward silence seemed to go on forever until her row was able to move; quickly grabbing the duffel bag overhead and swinging her purse over her shoulder she hurried off the plane offering polite smiles to the stewardesses on the way out.

 _Alright, one more flight and I'll be in Brighton._  
  
Gathering the rest of her luggage from the baggage claim, she'd somehow managed to to carry and tug all six bags in one go. She found a seat at the gate for the last flight of her day-long trip. Flinging the bags onto the floor, the strap of her duffel on her shoulder yanked her hair on the way to the ground. _Deep sigh._ She slumped into the seat running her fingers through the now tangled ends in attempted to smooth out the frizz.  
  
_"_ Um excuse me, ma'am?"  
  
Looking up from her plum split ends she was met with a familiar face,"Oh hey--"  
  
"LONG TIME NO SEE RYN!," the girl threw her arms around her into a tight embrace knocking over one of the bags around her feet. "I'm so glad I caught you before you left Manchester!"  
  
She wasn't letting go...Deanne hadn't changed a bit since she'd last seen her. It had been about 10 years since she left the states to live with her grandparents in Hokkaido. Deanne had recently moved to the UK from their hometown, Atlanta. The second she heard about the move to England she made sure to involve herself as a self-proclaimed Brit, despite the fact she'd only lived there for a couple months.  
  
"Alright, Deanne--You're crushing my ribs."  
  
"Oh right sorry!" she chirped letting go shifting restlessly with an eager grin.  
  
Able to breathe again, she rose an eyebrow, "What's the face for? It looks like you're going to explode."  
  
"Welllllll, it just so happens that I got tickets last minute to this concert for Gorillaz. You've heard of them, right? You know; Clint Eastwood, Feel Good Inc.--?"  
  
"Mmmhm I've heard a couple," she thought it best to stop her before she named every song they'd ever created.  
  
"What time does your flight leave? It's for tonight-Starts at 7. Whaddya say?" She waited expectingly for an answer.  
Truthfully, even if she had the time, she still didn't want to go, still, it was best to let Deanne down easy,"No--", she started. Her eyes fell on the displayed flight board stationed at her gate.  
  
Brighton, EN--5:50 P.M.--Delayed  
_Shit._ "I'm really tired..."  
"Oh looks like you can! Don't be such a stick in the mud!"  
"H-hold on. Let me see when the next flight will be before I commit...", she dragged her feet begrudgingly to the nearby counter. "Excuse me, when is the next flight to Brighton?  
The flight attendant winced, a puzzled look on her face," Well we're sorry to say that the next flight won't be until tomorrow morning...We're terribly sorry ma'am a storm in South England has all aeroplanes grounded for the duration of the bad weather."  
  
Now downcast, yet another forced chuckle burst from her lips,"That's O.K. I understand, thank you for your help."  
  
"Don't worry," Deanne chimed in bouncing to her side, "I can take you, it'll be just like the road trips we had when we were kids! RememberbackinthestateswhenmyparentstookustoVirginiaBeach?OrwhenwewenttoNewYork?!  
  
_She's going to talk my head off_...Inwardly she cringed in anticipation of the rest of day. Deanne was never really her favorite person, they were friends but they never really got along that well. Most of the childhood trips she was talking about ended with the two of them at each other's throats; not the most nostalgic moment to recall. Deanne just kept talking about things she didn't really care much about, even now she had no idea what was coming out of her mouth.  
  
"--But first things first! I. Am. Going. To touch...Murdoc Niccals today if its the last thing that I DO!"  
  
That much she heard. Deanne lifted 3 bags walking off still talking, something about a "Satanist" or a "Bassist". Maybe both. Normally this kind nonstop chatter would warrant several questions, but what the hell. She gathered the remainder of her bags trudging after. She would be attending a concert for a band she barely knew; jet-lagged, sweaty in the same clothes she'd left Japan in a day ago. The entire way to the Opera House there was constant talking, giggling, and swooning; she would rather be anywhere but here, at her actual destination would have been nice.  
  
"We're here--Come on get out!" Deanne practically jumped out of the car, sprinting off to the entrance leaving her tired friend behind. Groaning she followed at as hurried as pace as her body would allow. The entrance was flooded with rowdy fangirls and a rather diverse audience.  
  
"Over here!" Deanne motioned towards a table crowded with shrieking girls; pushing and shoving each other around in pointless spats.  
  
"I'd rather not."  
  
"Tch!", Deanne snatched her forward by the wrist breaking through the center of the crowd. The body heat of too many people in the same place had her breaking a sweat almost immediately. A sharpie was shoved into the palm of her hand,"Sign your name, Ryn."  
  
"What is this even for?"  
  
"Ugh, are you going to question EVERYTHING?!" Deanne rolled her eyes impatiently.  
  
"I literally asked one question Deanne", she swallowed the rising frustration skimming the table.  
  
_Some kind of sweepstakes to room with Gorillaz for a year. What?_  
Over a thousand names were signed in the blanks; some names were written more than once to increase their chances, even Deanne had hastily written her name on different lines. Honestly, she didn't care enough to argue, and besides that, the chances of her being picked was so low it didn't really matter if she wrote her name or not.  
  
"Hurry up, Ryn," barked the overexcited now jogging in place ~~dear~~ old friend. With a groan she leaned onto the table removing the top, writing in her name.  
  
  
**#1,223:** Meryn Jakes  
  
The marker top snapped back on with a 'pop'. Exhausted, Meryn sighed,"Let's get this over with."  
  
  



	2. New Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally submitted this chapter earlier, but decided to make it longer to help things move along. If anyone has read this earlier, I have made adjustments, there are about 1,000 more words than before.

  Phase 2-  November 2005  
  
  
The entire concert Deanne screamed wildly, her banshee-like screaming and a loud concert with OTHER screaming attendees were beginning to make Meryn deaf. Her ears rang down to the end of the show. Finally, the banshee screaming cracked and broke into a hoarse screech that had Deanne violently hacking in an attempt to clear her throat. Everything at this point was just noise. Her eyelids heavy; Meryn blinked herself awake to see everyone around staring directly at her; sweaty hoodie, hair messy from humidity, stiff and awkward. The sudden attention caused a painful heart palpitation. On queue, a spotlight landed on her--Meryn's face appeared on the screen; puffy tired eyes and tight-lipped. Her eyes snapped to Deanne who was teary-eyed pointing directly at her. She couldn't quite tell if it was envy, joy or a mix of the two. A rush of sound from the speakers broke through the general chatter.  
  
"Miss Meryn Jakes--Mare-In. Mur-In? Which one is it? A-am I saying it right? Hn...Anyway if you could please join us on stage," came booming into her already pained ears from an odd looking bassist Deanne was infatuated with. His skin was almost...green...  
  
"Come on love, don't have all day," the man cracked grunting a chuckle in amusement with himself.  
  
"GO!" Deanne shoved her forward towards the stage. Shakily she climbed the stairs being blinded by the overhead lights, she nearly tripped on the last step. The snarky green man laughed,"Saw that-Now come on, come on," he urged practically pushing her to the center of the stage. The other band members looked on from the far side of the stage.  
  
"Right then! Number 1,223, Miss Meryn Jakes appears to be a lucky little winner-- For the chance to bum off of us for an entire 365 days," he glanced at her. "Have anything to say?"  
  
It wasn't until then she realized she was holding her breath. A lump formed in her throat. "Um," she strained to answer,"I think my heart exploded?"  
  
-Scattered laughter-  
  
"Hm, odd bird; to be completely honest, yeah? I expected a screaming fangirl, maybe with good shagging potential," he grunted a cackle,"But no--We got you."  
Meryn's eyes squinted glaring through the corner of her eyes unamused.  
  
"Muds." The big, white-eyed man spoke up staring daggers at the smug green oddity.  
  
"Yeah yeah," he turned to properly face her with a smirk,"You'll do fine, love."  
  
The concert ended, Meryn was barraged by men and suits speaking over each other. Cameras, documents, and that smug asshole sticking his ridiculously long tongue out suggestively.  
"O.K. Miss Jakes, how old are you?"  
"Nineteen."  
"Do you live in the area?"  
"I just got here--"  
"Good. Alright then, tomorrow we'll have you transported to Essex; there we'll go over the protocol with you and the rest of the band. We'll also be doing a background check to seal the deal, understand?"  
Meryn started to speak,"Yeah um-"  
"Great," the man jotted something down,"Do you have an ID?"  
  
  Silently she handed him her passport, he rolled his eyes," Japan huh? This couldn't be easy...of course..." He talked on about details she couldn't keep up with. _This is too much._ Her eyes shot everywhere falling on the blue-haired front man. He fidgeted in place opening and closing a lighter; his head turned catching eye contact with her. Eye contact? Two black voids stared back at her, she froze in his gaze. His mouth curved into a crooked smile, he rose a staggeringly long arm meekly waving as he leaned against the wall behind him. Weakly, Meryn waved back puzzled, unsure of whether to be intimidated at the sight of him or to open a conversation based on his lax demeanor.  
  
"Miss Jakes?" She snapped back to the person in front of her.  
  
"Yes! Um, you can just call me Meryn...," she tried to play off the awkward situation.  
  
"Mmhm, we'll be paying for your hotel tonight, we've arranged for a ride to escort you, it's waiting out back."  
  
"But what about my things?"  
  
He sighed. "Your...friend dropped them off. Miss Jakes, your friend is not welcome to visit you inside Kong Studios for the duration of your stay."  
  
Meryn smirked,"What did she do?"  
  
"She was incessant on taking your place and refused to honor the random generator's name selection. Something about you not being worthy or some other nonsense. Nonetheless, she is not welcome near Gorillaz. Do you understand Miss Jakes?"  
  
"Yeah. I got it the first time you said it." Patience was running thin for more reasons than one.  
  
"She also left a note, it should be in your things. Now after you've gathered your belongings, please." He cocked his head towards the door before offering a fake smile, he brushed past her to speak, or rather talk at the blue-haired man. Even though the Gorillaz frontman towered over him, the assistant with a bad attitude preceded to scold him for something. It was strange seeing a man of his stature being patronized by some lowly errand boy. Making her way to the pile of her belongings set by the door, the piece of paper mentioned peeked through the ajar compartment. Unfolding it she read what appeared to be the scrawling of a lunatic.  
  
'I shouldn't have told you to sign. You don't even care about Gorillaz Ryn. You should've told them to pick someone else, you knew I liked Murdoc and you still went through with it anyway. I don't want to talk to you for awhile until I can learn to forgive you for what you did. I mean I literally--'  
  
  Meryn stopped reading getting the gist of what her so-called friend was trying to say. She bit down the desire to find Deanne and throw something large and heavy in her petty face; subconsciously she crumpled the paper into a tight wad. Sighing deeply, she tossed it in the nearby garbage can; lifting what she could she struggled to open the door. A small handheld it open to her surprise. The small Asian girl with messy bangs draped over her eyes.  
  
"Ganbare," came firmly from the young girl peering at Meryn through the gaps of hair.  
  
"Heh, I'm trying. Thank you for helping me, I appreciate it." Grinning awkwardly she backed out of the door dragging the rest of the bags along with her. The small girl looked back perplexed as the door slowly shut.

* * *

  
  
  Hours after, it was still hard to accept the situation she found herself in. Meryn barely slept, but at least had the chance to change into something more her. After a long hot shower, followed by flat ironing out the kinks from last night's humidity she was beyond ready to get settled. With or without Gorillaz, anything was fine; her wants were just the overwhelming yearning for a semi-permanent location. Though it would be hard to beat free room and board for a year. A bellhop helped her with her luggage; closing the trunk the driver flung open the car door, the entire car shook as he got settled into his seat.   
  
"Alright Miss Jakes, I'll be transporting you to Essex, we have a jet to catch and then it's on the Kong!"  
  
The ride was short, and thankfully the flight was relatively short as well. She'd dozed off a couple times, getting some much-needed rest she didn't quite get last night.  
  
"Miss Jakes were arriving at your destination!"  
  
Meryn's eyes fluttered open to view a dreary landscape; a cemetery filled with the dearly departed. Crows cawed ominously as they made their way up the winding road. A large factory-like building sat perched at the very top.  
  
"Alright love," her driver turned back with an almost toothless smile,"Welcome to Kong Studios."  
  
Her bags were set on the ground, with a tip of the hat the driver drove off heading back down the unnecessarily long hill. Meryn turned to look at the place she was to call home for the time being. It was...nice? Before she could knock, the door burst open; the green man again.  
  
"Hi uh-Oh OH! Now that's more like it," he eyed her from the red converses and tights stopping on her middle to appreciate the curve of her hips in jean shorts--Mismatched eyes darted up to view the rest, a fitted band tee and a loose fitting jacket. "Hnn got all pretty for me after yesterdays bust?"  
   
"No."  
  
"You don't have to be modest love, you've already got my attention," he almost snorted.  
  
"That's unfortunate," she narrowed her eyes.  
  
He ignored her protest shoving past her to lift her things,"Gotta be a proper gent--Go on in and get settled we're about to get this thing started hmm-hh." Every word out of his mouth seemed to be followed by some kind of grunt or guttural sound. Stepping inside she looked around. _The fuck is this place?_ Moments passed and no one else had come through, not even the green man who insisted on getting her things.  
  
"Rynnnn," called from down the hall, "Come join us in here will you?" It sounded like the green man; when had he walked past her? And _Ryn_?  
She peered out the door to see the blue-haired one struggling to lift all her bags at once.  
  
"Don't worry bout him, just come on in," a green hand beckoned from the open door. One more glance at the poor guy, and she turned the corner. She would have to thank him later. Whatever his name was. Entering the room, the other two band members from yesterday sat across the table with two cronies situated at the ends of the table holding stacks of documents. Closing the door behind him, he gestured to the nearest chair in front of him, "Have a seat Ryn."  
  
  He slipped into the seat closest to her, running his hand through his greasy hair patting the seat beside him. Not particularly wanting to sit next to him, Meryn sat anyway avoiding the obvious gaze of the questionable man cracking another snarky grin. "Alright Ryn, if you didn't already know the names' Murdoc; Murdoc Niccals--And these two people here are Russel and Noodle." Crusty fingers pointed them both out. The small girl from yesterday looked on straight-faced, remaining silent. The large, white-eyed man next to her has a similar expression,"It's Russ, nice to meet ya'." His voice was low and rumbled as he spoke. Meryn amicably nodded in response,"Nice to meet you both."  
"Uh-Where's my hello?" Murdoc clamored tapping his finger impatiently on the table, his eyebrow raised in legitimate question.  
  
"Nice to put a name to the face, Murdoc," she still wasn't quite sure how to feel about him, other than feeling creeped out of course. For the sake of being cordial, she would give it some time before she came to any conclusion about him.  
  
  Meryn shifted in her seat, listening for the only person missing. "And the other guy?"  
Murdoc leaned back on the legs of his chair creaking back and forth,"Oh he's just the pack mule, love. No need to pay him any mind." Her face started to scrunch in disapproval. How casually he answered struck a cord; her lips tightened into a straight line glancing over at Russel and Noodle,"Do you often refer to your band-mates as lackeys?"  
  
"What'dya mean? They ARE my lackeys," Murdoc chortled vibrating in his chair, the chair leaned forward slamming back onto the floor. He sighed rolling his eyes,"But I digress. They are essential, wouldn't be Gorillaz without them." Russel slouched looking off into the corner of the room an audible groan of discontent that seemed to tell her, 'I'd rather be anywhere but here.'  
  
"Ahem."   
  
The business clad man from yesterday interrupted flashing a peevish yet cordial slanted smile. He composed himself sitting up straight, glancing at Murdoc," Mr. Niccals, can we please get down to business?" He tapped his pen impatiently. Murdoc shrugged, indifferent. He fell silent, gawking at him as if to mock.  
  
"Alright, Miss Jakes, the background check will take a little longer than usual as your records are overseas." Twiddling the pen from finger to finger he took a deep breath trying to emote kindly. "Considering the circumstances, we recommend waiting until then to--"  
  
"No." Murdoc cut him off mid-explanation.  
  
"Don't you have the decency to let me finish?"  
  
"Noooo...," he was definitely mocking him. Murdoc chimed matter of factly. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out a tarnished flask. Nonchalantly he took a swig, swishing it around his mouth; his lips smacked as he cleared his throat now sitting up straight. "I know what you're about to say--And you know honestly I can't help but think you've done a piss-poor job of directing this-this charity event." He was rambling but he dared the man to try and tell him otherwise. "There's no point in bringing the poor bird here just to kick her out over some sodding background check."  
  
"It's out of my hands Mr-"  
  
"Wish you'd stop calling me that, Mr. Niccals is my old man,"more grunted laughter. "Look, she looks like any other girl I've ever seen. What's the point of waiting, yeah? When I know she's just going to turn out clean anyway?"  
  
"That isn't for certain-"  
  
"Doesn't matter." Murdoc forced, "Even if she turned out to be some psycho, it'd be eons more interesting than a run-of-the-mill bore fest." He flicked his wrist inadvertently,"If we need to we can make adjustments eh?"  
  
The director seemed at lost for words, not quite sure how to put up with the immature defiance being spewed at him from a man 10 years his senior.  
  
"Good. Now see that? I turned a long meeting short, you lot should be thanking me for saving time." Murdoc's eyes squeezed shut in a snorty chuckle. Meryn looked back and forth between them; she sat up stiff, unsure of what to do or say. Contrary to what Murdoc assured, she knew well that any of her old records would raise alarm. This was the very reason she left, to get away from what she'd done. Her emotions rose and fell at a rate she couldn't keep up with; from afraid to numb, ashamed to unapologetic. The practical part of her knew it would be better to address this right away, but more than anything she wanted to pretend it didn't happen. The desperate urge to gasp out suddenly engulfed her.  
  
_Holding my breath again..._  
As gently as she could, Meryn exhaled trying to play off the rising panic. It felt as if she was shaking; inside she wanted to believe she was being inconspicuous, but by the way Noodle was facing her all of a sudden, she knew that was just wishful thinking.  
  
  
"Oof," sounded from outside the door, followed by shuffling and the sound of something dragging against the hallway walls. Murdoc sneered turning to face the sound near the door,"Put your back into it face-ache!"  
  
_Face-ache?_  
  
More struggling and an exhausted defeatist groan muffled through the wall. Meryn bit her lip jumping to her feet,"I should help him."  
  
"Go on, two girls are better than one," chirped Murdoc, entertained by his own words. She couldn't help but roll her eyes turning to the door.   
  
"Tch. Very well. We'll do this properly once we retrieved the background check. Should be about two weeks." The director held his head looking off to the side no longer caring.  
  
 Meekly, Meryn wrenched the door open, peering down the hallway. It was empty. Quickly walking further down the hall, a tall shadow crouched around the corner. The shadow made his already staggering limbs appear more exaggerated. Around the corner was a narrow staircase. Sure enough, there he was somewhere near the top of the steps; his back was turned completely focused on the task in front of him. He picked up everything step by step, placing her things safely at every stride traveled. _Weird_. A bad scenario played out in her head, of the blue-haired man, bless his heart, falling down the stairs. Not wanting to make that a reality she pondered how to approach him. Call him? What the hell was his name? She never got an answer. Deanne probably mentioned it, but everything out of her mouth yesterday was a chore to listen to. Hesitant, she started up the stairs. An audible creak with every ascent made her presence obvious. Or so she thought. He wasn't turning around, he had just stopped and was standing there. She stopped just behind him, still nothing. Befuddled, Meryn forced herself to speak,"Um?"  
  
His entire head turned suddenly, pitch black eyes fixed on her below. It felt very much like the moment she was called on stage. As if the spotlight shone down her, in his case it was more like two black holes drawing her in.   
  
"Oh, its yew; thought I 'eard someone creepin' up on me!" He snickered flashing a gap-toothed smile.  
  
That...wasnt what she expected. Meryn heard him sing yesterday, and his voice was nothing like the smooth melodic vocalization from before. It was almost funny. His eyes were chilling but his disposition was easy-going--Child-like even. His head cocked to the side in question; Meryn suddenly realized that she was staring.   
  
"OH-Yeah, sorry. I heard you struggling and I didn't want to make you lose your concentration so I just," she stuttered shaking her head. "What's your name?"  
  
"You're Meryn right? Name's 2D." He stood there casually extending a hand,"Nice ta' meet'cha, love."  
  
She blinked completely enthralled by the specimen before her,"Nice to meet you too-You don't have to carry all this..."  
2D seemed surprised even through his blank expressions,"No no 'ts O.K. I finally got em ol' up at the same time! Your room'll be jus' round the corner so it's ol' sorted."  
Meryn rose an eyebrow not quite understanding his mindset,"But why? My stuff is kinda heavy, especially to carry all at once. What if you fell?"  
  
Folding his arms, his eyes squinted in deep thought,"I can see why yew'd fink tha'..." He paused biting his lower lip, "But yew know, I didn't wan' to jus leave your stuff out to get tampered wiff or somefink; plus girl's have fragile stuff don't they? Loike jewelry orrrr expensive shoes...Didn't wan' to be breakin' anyfing' important."  
  
"Did Murdoc put this on you?"  
  
"Well not LITERALLY on me,"2D scratched the back of his head.   
  
Meryn chuckled, rolling her eyes,"I see." Curiosity got the best of her, suddenly serious,"Is Murdoc always so...crass?"  
  
"A bit yeah--But he's na' ol' tha' bad." 2D's abnormally long fingers laced through the handles of Meryn's bags, with a strain he lifted them walking the remainder of steps to the 2nd floor. Meryn extended her hands to help, but he turned hissing over his shoulder in laughter,"Don' worry bout' me I'm fine. Promise."  
  
Finally reaching the top of the staircase, 2D carefully set everything down; he flung his body back into a stretch popping the joints in his arms. Cracking his knuckles rhythmically he let out a sigh of relief,"Phew!"  
  
"Thank you," she thanked him kindly.  
  
"No problem, love," leaning his back onto the wall he reached into his back pocket retrieving a carton of cigarettes and a disposable lighter. His head pivoted to face her,"Wan' one?"  
  
"No, that's O.K. I don't smoke."  
  
_He huffs and puffs up the stairs and the first thing he does is open a pack?_  
  
"Oh. Kay," the lighter flickered sparking a flame to life, 2D paused "Ah-wait don't wan' be rude if yew don' loike it."   
  
"No no, it's really fine. My mom smoked so I'm used to it--I just choose not to is all."  
  
"Yeah?" With her assurance, he lit the end taking in a deep drag. Turning away, he exhaled away from her,"Tha' door right there's yer room by the way."The smoke dissipated after a moment, on queue he turned back to face her again. "I'm ol' the way downstairs in the basement, Noodle's down the hall from yew, Russel's on the first floor--Murdoc's room is there too but he spends most of his time in the Winnebago--It's loike a RV or a trailer...or somefink," drawing a blank 2D took in another drag.   
  
Meryn wavered awkwardly,"I'll be sure and remember that, thank you again."  
  
Pushing off the wall he started back down the stairs,"Ahahaha don't worry bout it! Jus' ask if yew need somefink, awright? Don't be shy now!" He chuckled waving his hand as he descended back downstairs.  
  
  2D was...interesting and although they'd just met, something about him was endearing. He was certainly the most open of everyone she'd met today. Coming back down from her thoughts, Meryn dragged her belongings in front of the door. Turning the knob she stepped in what would be her bedroom for the time being. Flicking on the lights the hideous orange walls came into view. The room otherwise needed a little work. Scrape marks and a thin layer of dust on the floor; cobwebs in the corners and random clean cubic areas where boxes used to line the walls. A broom was set in the corner of the room near the bathroom door with a neon sticky note attached.  
  
'Clean your own damn room.   
               Love, Murdoc Niccals'  
  
Meryn almost laughed aloud,"Of fucking course!"  
  
  
"AH!" Came from below along with thuds and audibly meager pleas. Loud coarse cackling followed every distressed howl.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Welp!" Meryn exclaimed.  
  
A bunch of characters under one roof! There were several questions she wanted to ask, but too many to process. Whatever was going on below started up again; the uproar continued on and on in shrieks and impish laughter. Whatever time here would bring would be a ride no doubt. Meryn wanted to get away, and well beggars can't be choosers. Living in what appeared to be an abandoned factory atop a hill of a cemetery with three unusual, albeit intriguing people and one adverse annoyance. Not too shabby. It beats what was left behind. Her shoulders slumped, but all dreams must end. The breath of ~~fresh~~ air that was this opportunity would probably come to an end soon, knowing well her past would catch up with her. Shoving that thought aside, her posture perked up.  
  
"When it comes to it, I'll manage...somehow."


	3. Temporary Bliss

 

The first few days at Kong were...awkward to say in the least. There were people better inclined to have the opportunity; maybe, an actual fan for example. Only 3 days had passed and things became increasingly weird. The self-proclaimed leader of this band was odd and offensive on a consistent basis. Murdoc was the first person Meryn had contact with, and the first thing out of his mouth was an insult. An insult heard by everyone, on national television. Contrary to what he said then, he'd done nothing but shamelessly hit on her. Even now as he stood across the room, Meryn caught eye contact with the red and dark brown eye, a snarled grin stretching across his face. Her eyes automatically squinted looking off to the side.

Murdoc groaned," Aww don't be like that love."  
Unamused Meryn stared blankly raising her eyebrows attentively,"Can't help it." Her shoulder leaned against the wall, she stood lopsided in a dead ragdoll-like manner huffing a sigh jaded. "Aw man Muds leave that girl alone," Russel called back leaving the room. The drummer, Russel was quiet but his size made disagreeing with him a possible death wish. It seemed he was the voice of reason. He grit his teeth holding his head,"It's too damn early for this."  
"It's a compliment and she knows it,"Murdoc snorted trailing off into a low chortle scratching his happy trail before pushing off the wall opposite of her. "Besides I was just waiting for you lot to show up." He followed after Russel, presumably the others were already in the studio.

Folding her arms looking at the clock on the wall, Meryn waited for the cab she hailed that was supposed to have been here 10 minutes ago. Thinking about it Kong Studios wasn't all that easy to get to. She threw her head back pushing herself off the wall. She wanted to have a break from all the unusual happenings of Kong but was reluctant to walk through a cemetery to do so. Her legs moved on their own aimlessly walking around; she turned in one of the ridiculously long hallways that spread throughout their supposed home unsure of where she intended to go in the first place. Meryn ended up in another common area, this one had a T.V. and a rather lumpy looking couch beautifully decorated with stains and ashes. The ashtray set on the coffee table was full, as were the rest in Kong Studios. Dusting the seat, Meryn plopped herself onto the couch putting her feet up on the coffee table. Normally she wouldn't be so rude to do something like that in someone else's home, but looking around at the environment, clearly no one cared. A bit skeeved, she dug her hands into the crevice of the couch fishing out the remote wedged in between the cushions.

 _Got it.  
  
Ew...  
  
_Her hand came back sticky holding the remote. Several buttons were missing, some appeared to have been chewed off or dug into for some reason. Her fingernail stabbed into the ON button bringing the screen to a flicker. Bored she flipped from channel to channel; outside a storm was looming, soon the pitter-patter of rain began turning into a roaring waterfall in a matter of minutes. Meryn stared off listening to the rain, turning to her side she lay her body across the couch.   
  
_So far so good, but only a matter of time before I'm found out.  
_  
She sulked to herself closing her eyes in attempt to tune out whatever channel she landed on.  
  
  
"Yew alright?"  
  
Meryn's eyes flickered back open looking at the back of the couch. "Yeah..." She sat up pushing her bangs out of her face,"Guess I fell asleep for a moment."  
She looked up at the tall figure with a forced smile. 2D blinked down at her,"S'awright, din't mean t'bother yew. Was jus checkin' in." He stood there awkward and lanky informal in posture; his lips pursed,"Yew seemed sort of sad or somefink." Her legs crossed Indian style up on the couch with a small frown wide-eyed at his guess, she quickly changed her demeanor not wanting to confirm his suspicions.  
  
"Oh sorry if it seems that way. I'm fine, but you're kind to worry about me. Thank you!"  
  
_That was so obviously forced.  
  
_ 2D standing there staring down at her made it hard to lie. She cringed at her own pitiful facade,"I-uh...sorry, that was clearly unnatural..." Meryn tried to laugh it off changing the subject,"Anyway are you all finished already?"  
  
  
"Yeh well fo' now...Murdoc got frustrated wif me and had to take a break," he seemed a little saddened but still his usual easy-going self nonetheless. Walking around the couch, he sat himself down on the arm of the chair, his head swung to face her,"Are yew watch'n this?" His finger pointed to the T.V.,"I wanted to watch somefing."  
She shook her head passing him the remote,"No go ahead."  
"T'anks." He fiddled with the remote swiftly changing channels, randomly he twitched looking in her direction.  
Meryn raised an eyebrow,"What're you going to watch? Do...you want me to go?"  
Mouth ajar 2D's voice hitched,"N-no t's nothin' dirty or perverted..."   
She almost burst out laughing her mouth in a tight smile prevented the outburst. 2D continued,"There's this horror film I wanted t'see, most girls don't loike that sort of stuff--" He paused, taking notice of the grin on Meryn's face, "What's tha' look fo'? Yew laughin' at me?" Facing Meryn again, he stared, trying to read her expression.  
  
"No," she chuckled,"I didn't mean THAT kind of thing."  
  
Amused she smiled genuinely,"Anyways, I like horror. Back home boys thought I was cool for thinking blood and gore are cool. The girls...not so much." Meryn trailed off reminiscing briefly.  
"Really? You loike guts'n ol' tha'?" he paused in thought scooting forward,"Yew can watch too ya know."  
"What movie?"  
"S'called Silent Hill," 2D perked up,"Ever 'eard of it?"  
"Yeah, it's based on a video game."  
"Is it?  
"Mmhm,"now on the edge of her seat, she watched him starry-eyed, silently urging him to start it.   
He chuckled,"Awright then love, here goes." Eyes peered over at him sitting jovial and dopey smiling wide as he pressed play.  
  
_2D is easy to talk to._ Suddenly she felt guilty being a gloomy housemate. Although engaged in the movie, Meryn found herself looking over at him every so often and his thrill-seeking expression. _He's interesting._ Without knowing it she smiled, somehow he was very alluring.  
  
  
"Face-ache you in here?"  
  
Simultaneously, Meryn and 2D turned around jumping in surprise; Murdoc's face seemed to loom in from the darkness. "Oh getting chummy with our Meryn now are you?"  
  
"Jus watchin' a moovie-"  
  
2D was cut off by Murdoc leaning into her personal space he smirked,"And I see you've lightened up a bit, Ryn." He droned in laughter,"And all it took was mucking about with this sod."  
Turning on his heel Murdoc called back behind him,"Right then back to the studio, come on face-ache and let's try not to fuck it up this time yeh?" A little humiliated, 2D opened his mouth to speak but seemed to give up before he mustered the courage to say anything in response. Lowering his head, he sighed standing to his feet obediently,"Maybe we could finish it later?"He rose an eyebrow glancing at Meryn in question holding his wrist behind his back.  
  
"Sure, come find me when you're ready to continue," she pressed pause smiling up at him in attempt to raise his spirits, more concerned than disappointed.  
  
"COME ON!" Murdoc shoved him away impatiently, flicking Meryn's hair as he practically dragged 2D away holding his arm like a child. He called back,"I'll be back to keep you company later." Grunting echoed done the hall as the two of them turned the corner. She sat there for a moment suddenly feeling uneasy. Another presence came forth from the darkness.  
  
"Hallo," Noodle sauntered past her following after 2D and Murdoc; a small smile lined her lips, for successfully scaring her no doubt.   
  
_When did she even get in here?_ Meryn thought to herself looking around for another entry point, but there were none. A little paranoid, Meryn turned on the light eyeing the room a second time.  
  
_Okay then..._

* * *

  
  
 More days come and gone. Meryn dug her fingers into her hair, try as she might, her fingers didn't get very far. The air here was always moist, it made straightening her hair pointless, it would just nap up at the roots again. Tired, her arms fell to her sides. After a moment of inwardly cursing England weather, she settled on throwing her hair into a bun. A messy one would have to do. By now she was pretty used to living here. Last week she had actually left Kong Studios and went exploring Essex. She found a quaint coffee shop very close to a pharmacy, now at least she could run an errand or just get away for awhile. Even better it made getting prescriptions easy, as she usually neglected to get refills on time. Small bottle in hand, Meryn turned the lid dispensing a single pill into her palm. Popping it in her mouth she took a swig of the juice she's left overnight, taking the first pill in a long time. Jumping to her feet, she wanting something-Anything to do. Staying in her room and being a recluse was easy, but she'd promised to try and break out of that habit to her family in Japan It would be beneficial to spend time with her housemates.  
  
 She's gotten to know them a bit since arriving. Noodle and Russel were somewhat quiet but for different reasons she suspected. Noodle was always silent around Meryn, she'd smile or wave if they crossed paths but had no other contact. Russel seemed to just keep to himself. She could respect that. Murdoc was a relentless flirt with a drinking problem and mean tendencies; especially towards 2D. He was the one she spent most of her time with. A nice man; a bit of an airhead though, not that she minded. Lately, Meryn had gotten into the habit of stepping in between fights in an attempt to help poor 2D; to her dismay, this had gotten her hit a couple times. Those occurrences always ending with swinging back or Meryn tackling Murdoc like a wild woman. Russel occasionally stepped in to stop either of them from seriously hurting each other. He sat her down the other day advising her not to put herself in the equation, but she always struggled to sit quietly when 2D was being humiliated or hurt.   
  
 Russel and Noodle were a pair, he'd shake his head and she'd silently join him in disagreement. Fingers grazed over the latest wound. Russel had a point. Grabbing her glasses off the nightstand she slid them on adjusting her bangs to drape over them rather than be stuck under.  
  
Two timid knocks came at her door.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Got sum more luggage fo' yew," answered from the other side.   
  
He'd been doing this as things arrived from her grandparents, whenever something new appeared he'd bring it up and deliver it himself, so much, in fact, he was referring to himself as a delivery service. She pulled the door back to see him struggling with this one like when she'd first met him. He teetered from side to side with a determined but anxious expression. Meryn grabbed the other end he was off centered by urging him to lower it with her to the floor.  
  
"You really, really don't have to do this."  
  
With a clank it was on the floor, 2D stood up straight wiping beads of sweat from his brow, "Wud' yew put in there?!" He panted catching his breath putting on a dorky but exasperated smile. She shifted her weight onto the door frame,"Did Murdoc tell you to bring it up?"  
  
"...He had somefing to do," long fingers ran through his hair pushing it this way and that, his eyes settled on Meryn," Lifts' still broken so I gotta carry em' up."  
She sighed, feeling very much like a burden, "O.K...in any case, thank you very much." Without thinking she switched back to the 10 years spent in Japan, bowing forward realizing only after what she'd done. She sprung back up embarrassed. Although 2D didn't understand what was happening he mirrored her action bowing back adding a more mannerly flair, extending his arm out like a composer receiving a round of applause. She tried not to laugh,"I'll pay you back somehow."   
  
2D rose,"No don't- I pride meself on being a proper gent."  
  
"Hnn...I'll find a way," she half pouted wishing he'd just let her make it up to him. Meryn pulled the trunk further into her room and rejoined him in the doorway. "Thank you again 2D."  
  
He waved his hand in protest,"Don' mention it, love! Proper gent rememb'ah?" He chuckled walking off down the hall, a bit hunched over sliding his hands into his pockets.  Peering out the door she watched him disappear around the corner. Half groaning, half sighing she leaned back onto the door frame,"I'm such a burden." Replaying the moment over she winced thinking about the number of times 2D had gone out of his way to bring her own belongings. Looking out the side of her eye, Noodle stood quietly next to her as if she was there the entire time. She jumped slamming her back onto the frame; Noodle was only a few years younger than her but the difference in height was abundantly clear as Noodle had to look up to see Meryn's face. She was grinning amusedly. She flashed her teeth for a moment mid-smile, behind Noodle's back she held something. Bringing it forward she handed it to Meryn.  
  
_My old high school ID...  
  
_ "Oh thank you I must've dropped it." Noodle placed it in her palm. Without a thought, she bowed again. _Goddamn it._ However, Noodle returned the gesture. A curious look on her features. Finally, she spoke,"Anata wa nihongo a hanasemasu ka?" (Do you speak Japanese?)  
  
"H-hai," Meryn stuttered.  
  
Noodle seemed delighted,"Watashi wa odorite iru." (I'm surprised.)  
Her grin was contagious, Meryn couldn't help but smile back as she pocketed the ID."Nihon no doko kara kita no desu ka?" (What part of Japan are you from?)  
Through the messy hair, Noodle's eyes shifted from side to side as if unsure of what to say.  
  
"Oh um--Gomen...watashi wa sugita--,"(Sorry, I overstepped--)Meryn was interrupted by the rapid head shaking that flung Noodle's hair about.   
  
"Ie." She stopped, peering back up to continue,"I'm from Osaka, but I've lived here in England for some time now."  
  
"Hontou--I mean," Meryn chuckled laughing at herself,"I'm mixing them up...I didn't know you spoke English."  
  
"I haven't always." Noodle appeared to be flustered about something. Meryn came up empty on reasons why, but she felt as if she did something wrong even though Noodle was insisting that she hadn't. Perceptive, Noodle sank feeling the unease emitting from her newest roommate. "Well it was nice to formally speak with you. I had wondered about you knowing Japanese when you responded to me back at the Opera House." Starting off down the hall she dismissed herself from probably making things more uncomfortable. _Panic._ Desperate to salvage the brief conversation and make the ones to come easier, Meryn decided to attempt a cliche to at least lighten the mood.  
  
"Hajimemashite Nu-chan!" _Fuck.  
  
_ Noodle stopped at the end of the hall bursting into laughter, she looked back over her shoulder, cheeks filled with air,"Sore wa warukatta!" (That was bad!) She wiped a tear welling in her right eye scraping her hair across her face in the process. A glimmer of green could be seen for a moment as she wiped her eyes. "See you around--And Meryn?"  
  
"Hm?" Meryn stood at attention.  
  
"You're not a burden. O.K.?" Noodle offered a warm smile before turning away shaking her head still stifling in laughter entering her room down the hall.  
  
Her head immediately fell as soon as Noodle was gone, shuffling awkwardly to retreat back into her own room pulling the door shut behind her. For a moment Meryn stood there, sliding her hand down her face.  
  
_Nu-chan???  
  
  
_ She shook trying to rid herself of the embarrassment, "I make myself uncomfortable."  
  
Straight-faced, she reached into her pocket pulling the ID card into view. The photo of her seemed to look back with a somber expression. _2004._ Whenever she looked at the pictures from a year ago the same desolate girl was always staring back.  
  
"...."  
  
A year had passed and where she was now wasn't where she ever imagined she'd end up. She dodged a bullet getting mixed up in all this. Truthfully her trip to Brighton would do more harm than good, considering what she had decided to do just a month ago. Her only connection in Brighton was a friend who made a living sell herself. She was to stay in the one bedroom apartment and **work** for quick cash in an attempt to pay off a debt. The things someone will do to escape. Meryn is a prime example. Sighing deeply she pushed the thoughts away. Amazing how quickly things can change. This would also apply to how quickly this ride would be over by next week with the impending background check reveal. It seemed she might have to **work** in the near future, but the time in Kong would be seen as a vacation. Or a safe haven. Until her past catches up with her and everything comes crashing down.  
  
_Oh well. I should enjoy it while I can._  
  
_One more week until judgment._


	4. Fun While It Lasted

A loud thud from below disturbed Meryn from her sleep. Abruptly she sat up half awake in anticipation of a second disturbance.  
  
Nothing.   
  
Through squinted eyes, she could see the time displayed in the corner of the room. 9:04 am  
  
In protest, Meryn flopped back onto the bed turning on her side away from the daylight beaming in through the window. Another thud came from below, followed by the sound of something crashing. With a sigh, she slumped off the bed onto the floor. "What is it now?"  
  
The noises continued every so often as she pulled herself off the floor, along with the occasional yelp.  
  
_These guys._  She thought standing on her feet. Flinging her bedroom door open, her neck stuck out peering down both sides of the hallway. Shrieking echoed from the staircase. Yawning wide, she made her way down the hall towards the noises, quickly stumbling down the stairs the voices became louder and clear to identify. At the last step, everyone suddenly fell silent. Meryn turned the corner, a flying projectile whizzed just past her head crashing into the wall behind her. Her eyes shot to the green man standing across the room.  
  
"Murdoc, could you not?"  
  
He flung his hands into the air in complaint,"How do you even know it was me eh?"  
  
"Because it's ALWAYS you," Meryn flatly replied.  
  
In the corner of the room, Russel sneered taking a sip of coffee. Murdoc continued to complain, "Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to assume?"  
  
She ignored him, her eyes flickering down to 2D crouched on the floor. She looked back at the wall observing an array of kitchen cutlery jutting from the wall along with broken dishes smashed to pieces directly behind him. Deep sigh. "Is it a part of your daily routine to bully 2D?" She walked by the cowering grown man on the floor brushing past Murdoc on the way to the coffee pot.  
  
"Come now, Ryn," he followed after her, leaning onto the counter. "You act like I'm some sort of brute."  
As usual, Murdoc sported a smug look on his face. He leaned in closer blocking her access to the coffee maker. Unimpressed she looked off to the side,"More of a tyrant than anything else..." She looked past the wall that was Murdoc over to Russel who sat quietly in the corner finishing his cup,"Were you finished using the coffee maker?"  
  
Russel placed his mug on the table,"Yeah. I left 2 cups on for you."  
  
"Oh! Thanks, Russ." She was taken back a bit.  
  
"It's cool, you and I are the only ones who'll touch the stuff," his tone low and hoarse, but friendly. Russel glanced over at 2D,"How long you plan on staying like that D?"  
  
2D sprung to his feet stammering awkwardly,"Donno. Din't want me head bein' used for target practice..." Meandering over to the cupboard he resumed what he was doing before Murdoc had terrorized; he moved things around as if searching for something. Murdoc's arm was shoved away as Meryn grabbed the coffee pot; refusing to look at him she turned on her heel heading over to the cupboard. 2D still sifting through them placed a mug on the counter in front of her as he continued to search,"'Ere you go."  
"Thanks."  
  
Behind her, Murdoc hissed disgruntled,"Playing hard to get again I see."  
  
"Eh." Meryn droned pouring the remainder of Russel's brew into the mug. She found that making menial responses to Murdoc was more effective than saying "no".  
  
 He jerked himself away from the counter, stealthily sliding a cigarette out of the carton in his pocket. He scratched at his bare chest and stuck it in his mouth quickly lighting it. On his exhale he blew the puff of smoke in Meryn's direction. The smoke separated curving around her head, disappearing moments later. She only turned halfway to mock him with a smug glare, deciding to not waste time fighting with him today, she simply went back to fixing her cup.  
  
Chair scooting across the floor with an audible screech, Russel stood up,"Come on Muds, quit embarrassing yourself, we still got business to attend to." Murdoc looked almost hurt, he scoffed snarling in protest,"What're you talking about Russ? I can do better than this slag, just thought since she's staying here there may as well be SOME use of her." He chuckled in taunting snorts and grunts. Meryn cackled where she stood, back still turned from the gangrene skinned man; 2D observed the smarmy expression she wore, she acknowledged his stare rolling her eyes in reference to Murdoc. Uncomfortable with what he'd said, 2D frowned in distaste.  
  
"Something to say face-ache?" Murdoc was daring him to add fuel to the fire.  
He looked away averting his gaze to study the shabby wallpaper's pattern, not wanting to give the bully a reason to throw things at his head again. Murdoc sneered taking 2D's reluctance as a trophy of sorts. "Right then."   
  
The both of them walked off disappearing down the hall, the two of them left there in the now quiet kitchen. The moment Murdoc was out of sight, 2D's shoulders fell. Immobile for a moment he stood there biting his bottom lip. For some reason, Meryn found it hard to look him in the eye; instead, she pretended to focus on her cup sipping every couple seconds. In her peripheral, his form shifted from side to side. In another moment it seemed he snapped out of it and went back to sifting through the cupboard. The clanking of cups and glasses served as an excuse for her to at least try and start a conversation. Blank but determined his lips tightened, perhaps becoming frustrated she guessed.   
  
"2D?"  
  
He stopped suddenly turning in question, same old blank stare plastered on his face.  
  
"What'cha doin'?"   
  
An awkward but goofy expression tore across her own face, caught again in the voids. Thick eyebrows rose up high and lowered into a furrow, realization flashed in his eyes widening even further into perfect circles. His tongue peeked out between imperfect teeth,"Uh um, lookin' fo' somefink me mum sent me, a kettle from back 'ome." A hissed snicker broke through his lips,"Sorry bout tha', I got in the zone for a bit." Continuing to go through the same cupboard he'd been standing in front of the past 5 minutes, he rambled on to a couple topics. "Oh yeah, sorry bout' wut Murdoc said he knows yew ain't a slag he probably jus wanted to get under yer skin."  
  
 He turned to face her again,"Yew know wut that' means?"  
  
"Not really, but I assume it means something like 'slut' or 'bitch'."  
  
2D looked taken back,"Basically yeah..."  
  
She shrugged taking a quick sip of her coffee. British slang was the last thing on her mind when he stood there noisily moving things back and forth, incessant on finding whatever he was looking for. "Alright, 2D you've been in that cupboard for 5 years. What're you looking for?" Mug set on the counter, she was suddenly within his personal space peering into the cabinet alongside him. Inwardly she winced feeling a fuzzy numbness in her chest standing immediately next to him.   
A sigh came in a burst, "It's a green kettle, got a lil' bird on top."  
  
Her eyes fluttered over towards the mound of dishes near the door, certain that among the things thrown at him a short while ago was what he'd been looking for. Sure enough, green shards of varying sizes and what looked like a bird were scattered throughout the pile. Kindly she smiled, not particularly wanting to tell him, "I have a pot you can use, I know it's not as special but--You've been looking for awhile." Although a little disappointed he nodded taking up her offer, his arms fell past his hips looking defeated. It didn't last long, he perked back up soon after. Dropping to into a squat, Meryn retrieved the teapot her grandparent's had sent recently, springing back up wanting to keep him occupied she handed him the teapot.  
  
"Fhanks."   
  
2D filled the pot with water from the tap, pursing his lips in thought of what to say. Before he landed on anything he was cut off mid-thought by Meryn's own attempt. "Random question."  
  
"Random answer." He smiled proud of his own reply. She sighed, slow blinking a smirk tugging at her mouth. 2D was certainly pleased with himself, the jagged edges of his teeth peeked out along with the spaces between them. "Go on."  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
He rose an eyebrow a little disappointed,"Tha's it?" He turned away for a moment placing the teapot on the stove turning the knob for the gas. It flicked on in 3 clicks, a low flame lining the bottom of the pot. "I unno I was expectin' a hard question fo' some reason." Once set down, 2D settled himself against the counter. "If I were a lady, tha'd be rude to ask, but lucky yew I'm no lady so I can answer. Turn't 27 back in May." He smiled focusing his eyes back to her,"Wha' bout' yew?"  
  
She squinted sticking her tongue out at him, "Didn't you just say it's rude to ask a lady?"   
  
He shook laughing out loud having realized what he just joked about,"Yeah I did jus' say tha' din't I?"  
  
"It's O.K. I'm 19," Meryn suddenly winced at the age difference and wondered why his being 8 years older mattered at all. She pushed the thought away trying to pay attention to what he was about to say.  
  
"Oh, so yer Noodle's age."  
  
"Really? She looks much younger than me."  
  
"Nah she's loike....15 I fink." He paused staring at the ceiling, "Gotta check t'make sure though. Why'd yew think she was a lot younga'?"  
  
"The difference in height, but I guess I shouldn't really assume. I've always been tall so...," she'd drawn a blank.   
  
"Heh! Not talla' than me though." He straightened up stepping directly in front of her placing his hand on her head. He wasn't that much taller than her, but still, this close she would have to raise her head to look him in the eye. Her forehead lined up perfectly to his mouth a few inches of space kept him from actually doing so. He cocked his head to the side," Yew are kinda tall fo' a gerl." Meryn took a step back to breathe something in other than the scent of cigarettes and aftershave; not that it was a bad thing. It was strangely inviting, considering Meryn didn't spend much time around smokers. The step back made actually making eye contact do-able again. She slanted her mouth, "Yeah try being 5'9  in a country where girls are 5'3 or shorter," she bit her lip. Now that she'd actually thought about it, she was preaching to the choir.  
  
"Story of moi loife, love."  
  
The kettle started to whistle from behind him, he jumped as if remembering something," Forgot t'ask, did you want some tea--? But wait then again, yew already got coffee."  
  
"Sure, what do you have?"  
  
"Peppamint, earl....grey...razberry zingah--" he went on and on in what could barely be called a sentence and more of a long run on paragraph. It was amazing the difference in his singing and his casual speaking. Meryn wasn't quite sure if this was the 'cockney' accent or another dialect entirely; whatever the proper word was, 2D had a thick accent that was easily identifiable. The continuing drawl flowing from his mouth snapped her attention.  
"Black...green, red...uh white."  
_Was he naming tea now or just colors at this point?_  
"Constant comment--Which is a weird name bot' we also got chai...lemon zingah...sleepy tiome--But yew jus' woke up so--," he fidgeted in place at times scrambling for words. Now that she'd thought about it, he was around the same age as her older brother and sister. She wouldn't have thought that from how all over the place his head seemed to be.  
"Prince o' Wales is awright...uhhh."  
As endearing as watching him legitimately attempt to name from memory the extensive list of tea when he could've just looked at the boxes directly behind and to his side; Meryn thought it best to cut it short. "Why don't you just surprise me?"  
"Oh. Kay' then." He didn't seem to be upset about being cut off, much to her delight.   
  
The water was a full boil, a loud screeching whistle came soon after; he removed the pot from heat and dug into a box full of tea bags. Back turned he picked two tearing them open, seeping them both into two short cups. "Don' look now it's s'pposed t'be a surprise," he joked looking back over his shoulder unable to stop himself from grinning at his own retort. She played along. "Well, that just makes me want to know even more! If it's a surprise you're going to wrap it right? It's not a very good surprise if it's not wrapped."  
Thinking on his feet, 2D quickly fashioned a napkin wrapping and sliding the poorly covered cup across the counter. "'Ere you go!"  
  
_Corny._  
  
She smiled wide beaming at him, allowing him to see her teeth for once. She had a small gap in between her front two teeth; her eyes seemed to smile as well when her cheeks rose. He couldn't help but flash his own back, Meryn didn't smile often. Most of her expressions were worrisome and accommodating, with the exception of Murdoc who go almost nothing but eye rolls and dead-eyed looks of annoyance. But with 2D, he noticed the smile stayed. Motioning towards the table in the corner, he realized they'd been standing around talking for a while. Simultaneously they both pulled out chairs sitting themselves across from each other. Hand under her chin she squinted,"Another random question."  
  
"Nother random answer f'ya!" He made himself laugh.  
  
"Why are you called 2D?" Meryn propped her chin with both hands dwindling her fingers together.  
  
"Well..t's not moi real name, but Murdoc came up wif it on a count of the two dents in moi head."  
  
"What IS your real name?"  
  
"Stuart! Last name's Pot. Some people call me StuPot f'short."  
  
It was almost funny, 'Stuart' was the last name she'd have guessed for someone like him. She nodded,"And two dents? What?"  
  
"Well t's a long story...",he removed the tea bag placing it onto the table. After a sip, he started to explain. "Back in 1997, I got hit by a car--" Her expression changed to concern, frantically 2D waved his hands,"No--t's sorted now, I'm awright." He had her full attention, rare for 2D who had a habit of rambling on about nothing in particular for long periods of time. He'd gotten used to people ignoring him after awhile and telling him to shut up. But here Meryn was practically asking for it. On the spotlight, he squirmed a little unsure of how to go about continuing, he'd been asked plenty times before but didn't want her to make a fuss about it. His tongue flicked his bottom lip continuing,"I was workin' in a music shop when it happened. Murdoc drove his car into the store, and the bumpah' hit me square in moi head. It knocked me eye out--"  
  
"Out?!"  
  
"Well more in than out really...,"he trailed off expecting her to speak again. She began but closed her mouth, leaning back in her chair trying to fathom his words or the possibility of a person surviving something like that.  
  
"That must've caused...a considerable amount of brain damage. How're you still able to move after an accident like that?"  
  
"Actually I was unconscious for some time yeah? The only reason I woke back up was coz' of the other car accident..."  
  
"Murdoc again?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Again she leaned back, this time slumping staring at him dumbfounded, the way her mouth formed a straight line she seemed to give up trying to understand. After a moment, her fingers unraveled 2D's "wrapping", dunking the tea bag a few times before removing it entirely. Hesitant she pressed on,"So...is that why your eyes are black?"  
  
They widened at her words,"You noticed? That I HAVE eyes I mean?"  
  
"Uh yeah? Is that a common misconception or something?"  
  
He nodded rapidly,"Moar often than yew'd fink!"  
  
From where she sat and with the light in from the nearest window, she could actually see the outline of an iris that looked more burgundy with old blood than black. Upon closer inspection, his eyes could actually be seen moving contrary to what she thought were endless pits of darkness. Red outlines looked off to the side grabbing the full ashtray at the far end of the table. "Mind if I smoke?"  
  
"Go ahead." She took the moment of silence to sip at the tea that was now more chilled than she wanted. _Minty._ Smoke blew off at his first exhale, a hollow look in his eyes; 2D leaned onto the table lazily a bit downcast. It wasn't her fault. Or so she hoped. "I won't make you talk about it anymore if it's bothering you."   
  
"T's not. Jus feelin' a liddle drained. You worry a lot, love," he chuckled lightly, his voice lower than usual. "I jus got in moi head for a sec. Was...there anyfing else yew we're going to ask?"  
  
"It's more of a statement. You're really nice."  
  
He sat up straight, head tilting to the left and then to the right and eyes fixed trying to understand where or why she was saying this. "Whadd'ya mean?" She fell silent making an array of uncomfortable faces, over thinking what should be said next, or rather how to say it without being too frank. Awkward, Meryn cocked her head about in the same pattern.  
She pouted hunching over,"How've you not killed Murdoc yet?"  
2D wanted to think she was just kidding but something told him otherwise. A noticeable unease set in, as if she regretted saying what she had been thinking in regards to Murdoc and his poor treatment of the people around him.  In an attempt to reword it she tried again,"I don't mean literally...I'm just surprised you aren't angry."  
"I mean--I do get mad sometimes, but most of what Murdoc did, yeah? Was necessary tha' way I see it. Wouldn't be here if it nevah 'appened...Know wot I mean?"  
  
_He's like a saint._ The entire story he'd told was something she would never be able to accept. People were cruel, if no one ever did anything, they'd just keep getting stepped on. Her body sank further in the chair taking another sip. "Heh." He must've thought she was crazy, demented even. 2D looked confused trying to understand the slew of emotions her face was reflecting; the same empty but thoughtful stare. _No._ He was too nice to think of her that way, but soon he'd have a reason. Without knowing, Meryn had cloistered her entire body tensed; she sat immobile as if she'd been frozen in time.   
  
"Yew O.K.?"  
  
He reached across the table waving his hand in her face,"Earf to Meryn?"   
"Yeah sorry." She shook her head forcing a smile, the old one that 2D was used to seeing.  
He frowned gnawing his bottom lip,"Then...mind if I ask yew somefing?"  
Eyebrow raised she silently nodded in anticipation.  
"T's a bit random but I've been wonderin' so..."  
  
_So?  
  
_ "Where exactly are yew from?"  
  
"Huh?" That wasn't what she expected. He had a goofy expression, like a child waiting for their turn on a ride at an amusement park. Even though she'd just soured the mood he went on as usual like it hadn't happened. He looked up at the ceiling, holding his chin," Well I know from Noodle yer' from Japan bot' yew don't look it--Nawt to be rude or anyfing! Jus curiosity got the best'f me is ol'." It suddenly seemed silly to overthink when he clearly wasn't bothered in the slightest. 2D was a simple man; it was invigorating not being rejected despite a difference of opinion, or in their case in their actions.   
  
"Well yes and no," she answered after pulling herself together. Meryn could already see the question rising on his face and couldn't help but smile in amusement. "What do I look like?"  
"Yew mean loike race right? "  
"Mmhmm." Now playful, a kittenish demeanor had taken over; her foot tapped restlessly. This was a question she was used to answering, to the point that she made a guessing game of it.  
He focused his eyes studying the features of her face. Brown almond-shaped eyes, full lips that when smiling stretched thin, a button nose and medium length purple hair. Dark brown roots started growing out at her crown. He's been staring for some time in silence, cigarette in one hand, his other holding his chin grazing the stubble he'd missed. Her skin color was tan despite her never exposing much skin to the sun and had golden undertones, not dark enough to hint at anything in particular. "I'm gunna say...are yew mixed race? "  
"A little, but I'm mostly black." Meryn waited for the response she knew well, what actually came was a mild one that she hadn't gotten before.  
2D looked a little shocked but again thought little of it.  
  
"Really?" He studied her again nodding, inhaling a few times before resting the cigarette on top of the pile of butts and ashes.  
"When my hair is straightened not many people guess correctly."  
"Yeah? Wha's it loike when t's natural?"  
"Wavy and frizzy. Annoying too if that counts." She ran her hand through the portion not currently in a bun,"The air is always wet here, so you're bound to see it at some point."  
  
He hummed leaning back in the legs of his chair,"I'd loike to see it ol' frizzy though! Probably isn't as bad as yew say iht is."  
"I prefer it straight--Oh and um just to get this out of the way, before I get distracted I lived with my grandparents because of my home situation back in the states. My mom was adopted on an American base in Okinawa so she grew up there but as for where I'm actually from is Atlanta."  
"Ooooooh kay see I was still wonderin' tha' glad yew said it so I din't hafta' ask!" 2D hissed snickering; the chair leaned a little too far back causing him to fumble almost falling backward onto the floor. Long arms outstretched, he caught himself scrambling to hold onto the table for balance, eyes wide like he feared his life."Heh, if yew could pretend tha' din't jus happen...," he chortled laughing at himself through the embarrassment, shoulders bouncing in a jaunty manner.  
  
Meryn chugged the remainder trying not to spit bursting into a giggle fit. "Thanks for the gift by the way- Peppermint tea is the best tea."  
He grinned back in agreement re-adjusting himself, "Oh yeah uh Meryn, tha' guy's gon'be round here tomorrow afternoon. The cranky one from the other day colled bout' some sort'f investigation yew ol' were talkin' bout' yer first day here."  
Her heart stopped for a moment,"Oh? That's...quicker than I expected."  
"Yeah dunno much else bout' it but I was told to let ya' know so yew wouldn't make any other plans. Murdoc said you got some sort of background that had to be checked before we made the arrangement permanent. So after we could finish up tha' movie from the other night, if yew want."  
  
".....Maybe we should finish it today."  
Less time than she'd thought. Pity, the week and a half would have to come to an end.  
"Can't today, love; got to finish recording moi part of this new track Murdoc has us werkin' on," he snickered,"Yew know 'ow he gets." 2D stood suddenly stretching his arms up at the ceiling, a bit of his torso exposed mid-stretch,"If yer busy tomorrow jus text me or somefink. Ya know, wheneva yer ready."  
  
"....."  
  
"Oh yeah sorry yew need moi numbah," he grabbed one of the napkins crumpled up on the table and a blue pen from his front pocket quickly jotting it down. "I gotta get started but, 'ere."  He slid it in front of her starting to walk off oblivious to the girl who sat stricken in a panic. It all came down to this, she'd have to leave. Meryn put off contacting her Brighton **job** offer, stupidly waiting for the inevitable. As usual, she avoided everything; even when her livelihood depended on it. The room closed in around her squeezing the life out of her, heart pounding relentlessly in her chest undeniably ashamed and more than anything, afraid of the rejection and scorn that would come with the discovery of her recent past. It'd been over a year, everything had been settled legally but what she'd done would follow her to her grave. Maybe she should call it quits early and bury herself? Meryn swallowed the lump swelling in her throat, her eyes falling on the napkin 2D left behind. His number written across the uneven surface was difficult to read but guessable.  
  
_Tomorrow I won't be here, I'll just text him an apology after things...die down.  
_ Time flew by and she hadn't moved from the spot, the sounds of talking resonated through the nearby hall. Jittering out of her seat, her legs felt like jello; the voices became closer, she was scared. _Run. Go!_ She flew up the stairs, hiding herself in her room throwing her things around deciding what to leave behind and what to take. There was way too much to bring it all. Thoughts rushed in and out, she moved about frantically in a panic breathing heavy. Nothing mattered, she just needed to get out of here. Meryn hyperventilating tried her hardest to calm down and control her breathing. Through erratic shaky breaths, she made her plan to leave tonight when the time was right.   
  
Breaking, she held herself, grazing her index finger over the old scars lining her forearm.   
  
_Coward._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next couple chapters will be different than the ones so far. A lot of tags will come into play As I said, I'll adjust and put warnings if needed on the coming chapters. Thanks for sticking around for the character building and introductions. More to come soon!~


	5. Obligations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy topics will at this point begin to come into play. Consider the tags before reading.

 Meryn's shadow stretched out in front of her it seemed bouncing with every step taken. The night was rough; roaming the streets at night nothing but a tote bag and her purse that contained what she'd need to get by the next couple days. Exhausted, her mouth formed a perfect 'O' as she yawned; people were up bright and early in the city. People going to and coming from work; taking taxis and cabs to get where they needed. Over the night Meryn charged her phone and settled along the more populated areas fearing being hurt or taken advantage of walking in the dark. The homeless sat on bits of sidewalk clutching their belongings, some laid themselves out on park benches or in groups. Even here, it felt like she didn't belong. Here there were people who had their lives uprooted; families put out of work unable to provide for their children let alone feed themselves.  
  
And then there was Meryn; the sad run away who failed at following through even when her life would depend on it. Winter nights in England reminded her of her time in Sapporo. Even then she'd run off into the night trying to escape the love and acceptance of people. Out of breath, she stopped for a moment dropping her things onto a free bench. Throwing herself across it; face down, her back to the world trying to pretend she didn't exist. The sounds and chatter of people nearby made pretending difficult. Her hair draped onto her face wild as she turned over to be blinded by the rising sun. Eyes shut automatically wincing. It's been a couple hours since she left Kong Studios. It took forever to find an opening to sneak out like the _coward_ she was.  
  
About now, they'd probably noticed she was gone. Tossing and turning on the bench no rest was gained, it was more of a work out than anything else. Irritated, she sat up pushing and flinging hair from her face. In a panic, Meryn forgot some small things, one of them being hairbands. Shoving strands behind her ears her eyes traveled looking at her surroundings.   
  
_About a block from the train station._  
  
The last of her money earned from tutoring would have to be used to get to Brighton. The sound of vibrating somewhere in her tote broke her concentration. _Where is it?_    
Fed up, her fingers dug into the very bottom past all the things erratically crammed inside. _Got it._ The phone hummed in her hand, eyes trying to adjust and focus despite the lack of sleep.  
  
_Shea.  
  
_ Finger pressed on the talk button, Meryn put it to her ear." Hey, its been awhile..."  
  
A loud sigh came from the other end. "Where the hell have you been? You dropped off the radar a week and a half ago..."  
  
"I-I know...I'm sorry I was just trying to indulge before you know...reality came crashing down," she sounded hopelessly empty. Defeated.  
  
"Look, I said I could get you in on my line of work but your little disappearance kind of makes that difficult for me. I need money too Meryn! We were supposed to do this together, what did you pussy out last minute?"  
  
A lump formed in Meryn's throat. "Yeah. I did."  
  
Shea went silent for a moment. Mumbling under her breath incoherent things that couldn't be made out no matter how hard Meryn listened. Not that it mattered that much anyway,  
"Don't you think I was scared when I first started? Remember, you HAVE a family that cares about you--Your...grandparents I mean. Sorry, I-Didn't mean it like that..."  
  
"I know what you meant, its fine. How're things down there anyway?" Meryn tried to change the subject, swallowing the words uttered regardless of Shea meaning no harm.  
"It's...It could be better. Hell, life could be better. Meryn do you plan on coming down here or not?"  
"......"  
"Hello?"  
".....I'm scared. I don't want to sell myself, I thought I could numb myself but I-I couldn't," she stammered shakily looking around at the people who stared and eavesdropped nearby.  
"I told you, it's not selling yourself, I provide a service. A service that men are WILLING to pay for. Back in Shibuya you and I were the same, or so I thought--"  
"Don't guilt trip me, I know your circumstances already. I know it was hard--"  
"No you don't know, you can imagine but you'll never KNOW--"  
"Quit acting like you're holier than thou, what happened to you was fucked up, but DON'T SHIT ALL OVER MY OWN EXPERIENCES AS IF I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BEING USED OR ABANDONED--dONT acT LIKE iM NOT aLLOWED TO be ScARED!" Meryn was now yelling, her fist clenched swung at the bench scraping her knuckles, a long sting rang through her nerves.  
  
After a long silence, Meryn's heart rate returned to normal at the relief of a much needed deep breath. She could feel it. Everyone's eyes on her, some pathetic crazy girl on a park bench after a night of no sleep, yelling at someone on the phone hurting herself in the process. Pulse thumping through her veins, she lifted her fist to view. Red and throbbing, but not bleeding out. Mad at herself for wishing she had bled. _Heh. I'm the same person I've always been, things never change._

* * *

  
  
It was time but no matter where he looked, Meryn was nowhere to be found.   
  
The director of the event had arrived with two other people to Kong Studios about an hour ago. Uneasy looks on their faces and impatience in the directors. The director, Mr.Reynolds had always seemed to hate his job, whenever 2D spotted him he was unfriendly and indifferent. Quickly running his flick comb through his hair, he checked his phone. In retrospect, maybe she should've written HER number down instead. Scratching at tuffs of azure he bit his lip, looking at everyone who had gathered. Murdoc, Russel, and Noodle were just as confused and left out as he was. Somewhere deep within him, 2D had a bad feeling.   
  
The hour mark struck. 10:00 AM  
  
"O.K. lets just start, everyone go ahead, take a seat; my two colleagues here with me today are Mr. Benjamin Jonson, our investigator for this case provided by the Crown Prosecution Service and Dr. Farrah Gaines Ph.D., LCSW with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy," he began as bleak and nonchalant as ever. His guests politely acknowledged everyone sensing the lack of care pouring out of his drone speech.  
  
Dr. Gaines offered a smile kind smile to 2D who'd stared off too in his thoughts to notice he appeared to be staring right at the woman. Awkward, he returned the gesture watching as a tape recorder was placed in the middle of the table. "I'll be recording everything said today for reference to report my findings back to Mr.Reynolds. If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask me! Alright?"  
  
"What. The bloody hell are you all going on about?" Murdoc was less than accommodating to the poor woman, he sniffed impolitely glazed over in boredom.  
  
"Let's get started," the stocky detective inserted himself. The room was silent, everyone exchanging nervous looks. "First off," he continued, " Some of the things discussed here today will are disturbing in nature, Noodle, Maybe you should wait outside." Noodle frowned," I'm a part of this, I deserve to be just as involved as the others."

 

"Right well...," the petite therapist situated at the end of the table trailed off.

"She's right. The contractual agreement was that Gorillaz would come to a decision in the case of a possible threat or Criminal record. That includes Noodle. However, at her age, she will need the consent--"

"I consent. Get on with it would you?" Murdoc interrupted.

 Sighing the detective passed out copies of an assessment out to everyone present," Does everyone have a copy? Well, then I'll get straight to the point." Leaning onto the table he began," The following is a psychological assessment conducted by Dr. Torres LCSW DSW on Miss Meryn Katherine Jakes dated July 31st, 1997. At age 11 patient resides with older sister following the deaths of parents; Aaron and Marisol Jakes. As reported by her older brother he suspected she was being abused or neglected emotionally. On initial assessment, patient relates she fights with her sister a lot and believes she isn't loved by her. Brother(Sol Jakes) in attendance claims he is worried about her upbringing in states she speaks of running away. Pt's mental status is as follows at the time of the interview..."

The room was dead silent as a slew of information came at them, none of them prepared for what would be said.

  
Risk Assessment: Patient denies suicidal ideation and homicidal ideation. 

 

Demographic: 11, Female, African American, Single.

Short-term goals: Communication with legal guardian, possible decision making with brother on a change of environment.

Turn the page if you would to the next assessment dated January 17th, 1998. 

Patient expresses being angry.

Difficulty with sleep, self-injurious behavior, runaway risk, impulsiveness, distractable, depression, negative thinking, mood swings, short fuse, temper tantrums, outbursts, and confrontation.

A difficulty with friends and legal guardian.

Physical and emotional abuse. Documented bruises on patient's upper back, scrape on chin. 

Patient completed and scored on the following tests: Burns anxiety scale: 55/99 (medium to high anxiety level)

                                                                                  Depression inventory: 25( moderate depression)

                                                                                  Burns depression checklist: 46( moderate depression)

 

Removal of child from household investigation conducted by DFACS based on the findings of physical an emotional abuse by legal guardian, Terra Jakes,  her older sister. Sexual abuse by guardian's boyfriend and past abuse by a relative at the age of 7.

Custody of child granted to grandparents residing in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan; Mr. and Mrs. Kanno, effective April 11th, 1998.

"Any questions so far?"   
  


Silence.  
  
  


"Alright then moving on to the Japanese record. The following is a happening and recall of her teachers at Ainoga Middle School in Sapporo, Hokkaido":

Miss Jakes had a difficult adjustment. With children in her class her first year in Middle School, she was unpopular and quiet, not yet understanding much of the language. Bullied by her classmates for being different; thick hair and more developed than her female classmates. An incident in which some male students passed around a sheet of paper in which her classmates took part writing demeaning things along with inappropriate drawings depicting Miss Jakes in a shameful manner. 

Comments included oppai-loli, gaijin, kuro. The picture depicted her as ugly and charcoal black with thick unruly hair and male stick figures masturbating around her. This was placed on her desk as she slept in class, children from behind threw things at her head to wake her. Upon reading and seeing what her class thought of her she began crying. While some children seemed remorseful, others continued to bother and harass Miss Jakes well after. The male classmate she believed initiated the cruel note had bothered her several times the week leading up to her expulsion. The accounts of several students state she was reading a book on kanji for beginners when the book was snatched from her hands and thrown onto the floor. 

When going to pick up her book it was snatched again and thrown out of the open window. She attempted to catch it as it fell and the boys lifted her skirt exposing her underwear and proceeded to pull at them revealing her private parts. Some laughed while others defended her. Miss Jakes relates she blacked out and tackled the ringleader to the floor clawing and scratching wildly at his face. Students looked on in horror yelling for her to stop, she stood pushing past her crowding classmates, dragging her chair along with her she beat him repeatedly with the leg end. The cries of the boy brought the teachers from the faculty office where they pried her away. She cried into her homeroom teacher's chest while her grandparents were called to the school.

Mr and Mrs. Kanno home-schooled Miss Jakes the rest of her middle school years. Analyzed by Dr. Hidenori Abe from the time of the chair incident into her high-school entry; Dr. Abe noted an improvement in mental status and thought her ready to attend public high school to put her in contact with others her age. Mrs. Kanno spoke of attempting to give their grand-daughter a normal teenage life relocating to Shibuya, where her older brother aforementioned resided. Following the move, Dr.Abe referred her to follow-up therapy with a therapist in the Shibuya area. At 15, she was diagnosed with major depression disorder, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, C-PTSD.

Contrary to middle-school, in high school, Miss Jakes was quite popular. Increase in social activity and self-esteem. Time spent with friends and brother after school. Meryn related feeling happy and goal oriented. The attending therapist in Shibuya, Dr. Nezumi Shioda reported she was dating a guitarist of their after-school group and beginning an intimate relationship. Problems arose at the beginning of 2003 at the arrival and befriending of a boy transferring from the U.S. The boy was thought to have had feelings for Miss Jakes was said to have manipulated the downfall of her relationship and friendships. Rumors were reportedly spread accusing her of multiple sex partners and being incestuous with her brother. Support system died down, with the exception of regarded best friend, Ruri. Ruri accounted extended absences and skipping school, only returning to school in order to graduate the following year. Homeroom teacher, Ms. Erika Yamagishi recalled seeing scars or wounds in the process of healing during the spring semester--"

"This is sick," Russel proclaimed. "Why are we getting an extensive history of this girl's past?" 

 

 

2D chimed in, " I agree.. I mean it sounds loike a lot of bad stuff 'appened t' er. I don' ol' the way get why this has to be brought forward."

"We are contractually obligated to inform you of the findings of our investigation regarding Miss Jakes. As you can see a lot has been found," an almost grim look from the detective who had to look into all of this.

 Murdoc leaned forward," You know for once I agree with face-ache. None of this is important to us. Its a waste of time and pointless to expose things best left forgotten. "

"I din't say it wasn't important! Ol' I'm sayin' is wots her history got t'do wif us?"

"That's what I just said you dunce," Murdoc shot 2D a look.

He retreated slumping in his seat. Hand in pocket he checked his cellphone. Even if she ran maybe she said something as a goodbye.

  **No new messages.**

 

Worried 2D slumped further, putting away his desolate phone.

"Did she do something illegal?" Noodle broke the growing silence. The detective exchanged looks with the director.

"If that's what it is, just get to it instead of going on about the shit childhood on her records," Murdoc pestered becoming increasingly impatient, tapping his uneven nail onto the table restlessly. After a while, Mr.Reynolds spoke up," Miss Jakes has criminal activity in her recent past and was additionally admitted to a mental hospital for an inpatient program."

"Criminal how?" Russel inquired.

With a deep reluctant breath, Detective Jonson read aloud," According to the Criminal Investigation Department of Tokyo, Miss Jakes was charged with assault and battery along with sadistic torture methods carried out on an ex-classmate. She pled guilty to these allegations."

The room darkened at these words.

_Torture?_

2D's bottom lip quivered in disbelief," She...killed someone? "

"No. She denied the intent to kill but admitted to sadistic plans and actions."

Sensing the rising unease the Dr. Gaines chimed in,"This is where the information stated earlier comes into play--"

"Yes. You know before you interrupted?" The director practically spat at Murdoc.

"How the bloody hell was I supposed to know the bird was **actually** demented?!"

"Please don't say that Mr. Niccals! As I was saying the information from earlier will answer the questions you must be having," she crossed her legs a stern look on her face. "Now has anyone today had contact with Miss Jakes?"

"...I haven't seen her since yesterday," Noodle thought back,"I saw her run to her room but never saw her come out."

Downcast, 2D mumbled,"I 'avent seen 'er since yesterday either. "

Russel sighed heavily,"We all saw her yesterday, but today when D checked her room she was already gone."

"I see...," she paused for a moment. "I'm here today for two reasons; to provide an evaluation on everything that has happened here today and to assess her current mental status--But if she's run away, I will disclose the information needed to make a decision." 

She flipped from page to page in search of something, "Has anyone become close to Miss Jakes?"

"Face-ache has spent the most time with her but we've all had a little to start at least," Murdoc trailed off with an exhausted look on his face. 

"I see then, 2D?" She turned to face him sliding a sheet of paper containing Meryn's passport and contact information,"Would you try and reach out to her if you can?"

"S-sure, hold on..." 2D reached back into his pocket emotions ranging from shock to concern. Entering the number into his phone his heart sank, hoping she'd answer but nervous about what to say to her if she did. It rang. But as he figured no answer.

 

"Hi! You've reached Meryn, leave a message and I'll get back with you. Thanks!"

He almost had a heart attack suddenly hearing her voice; hanging up he opened his text messaging icon,"She din't answer. I'll try and shoot 'er a text message and see if she responds t'tha." 

His bandmates seemed to have similar uneasy looks about them. Noodle sat quietly in deep thought, not wrenching her eyes away from the table. Russel sighed, worry and confusion in his own white eyes. Murdoc alto ugh frustrated, clearly had his interest piqued. Frowning 2D tried to think of what he should say. Easier said than done with a pounding headache in his skull. 

 

[Where are you? If you see this please come back to Kong. Everyone's waiting. - 2D]

 

_'Should've said more'_ , he thought to himself feeling his attempt was for naught.

"Thank you, 2D, while wait for a response let's finish up." Her eyes traveled along the police report," Crimes committed by Ms. Meryn K. Jakes were noted to be triggered by her rape in 2003 followed by the rape and suicide of a classmate in 2004; both victimized by the same person. "

2D's eyes widened shooting back to his phone. Still no response.

 

Russel growled furrowing his brows, his head shook in pity. Noodle looked up at everyone distraught,"I'm not happy to hear this--"

"That's why it was suggested you not be here," a cold reply came from the director. Frigid, noticeably rubbing everyone in attendance the wrong way.

Murdoc glared,"Hmph, rubbish little shit, aren't you? You'd do well to shut your face on matters your pea brain can't comprehend." His eyes piercing, and his voice patronizing in tone.

Noodle spoke out,"Shouldn't you be more involved in this? This is your job but you don't care at all?"

"I wanted to to do my job, but you all insisted she stay while we conducted our investigation," Mr. Reynolds sat back folding his arms.

"That's not what I'm talking about," Noodle snapped pointing at the contract. "The agreement also involves your party to thoroughly assess and secure the situation. But she ran off! If something bad happens like suicide, your negligence will violate the terms we've all signed in agreement to."

He fell silent looking away having lost control of the situation.

"She's right Mr. Reynolds; even if you truly don't care, myself and Detective Jonson have done our part. At least have the decency to see this through. I'd like to avoid the loss of a young troubled woman if I can." She looked anything but polite at this moment, glaring at the lack of empathy from the one representing the organization who founded this event.

_Suicide?_  
The word echoed through 2D's aching head. He didn't know Meryn THAT well but he certainly didn't want her to die. In the short, while he'd had to get to know her, 2D considered Meryn a friend. His imagination went rampant trying to fathom these things happening to a person. It happened in movies, but this was real. His upper lip snarled in disgust, a pained expression clear on his features. There wasn't much he could do, but he wanted to try. Checking his phone again, nothing had changed. Lips mashed together he focused on the screen typing out another attempt.

 

[Meryn, say something back if you're OK. Please? -2D]

As soon as the phone was set on the table a loud vibration buzzed through the air. 2D grabbed it illuminating the screen.

 

**1 New Message**

 

Shakily he brought it into view opening it to reveal what he had hoped was her. One word was her response.

 

[Something.]

 


	6. "Something"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings apply to this chapter. Consider before reading.

The line clicked in Meryn's ear after some time. She looked back at the screen confirming the ended call. Shea didn't like what she said. Clearly. While she felt bad leaving it that way, she was much too tired to try and put effort into anything. Hopeless she leaned forward onto her lap folding her arms into a bridge, resting her head. Thoughts flooding, her head drowned in the memories leading up to where she sat now. You never can tell what life has in store for you. The Meryn a year ago had no idea of the potential she possessed. And within that year, the dynamic of her life changed dramatically.  
  
Back then things were as simple as studying. And thanks to the lack of friends she had, she could focus pretty well. Being outcasted by everyone was a blessing in disguise! She always tried to tell herself that, as if at some point it would actually work just by saying it. The day of the change had been just like that.   
  
Meryn sat alone after school. Not many students around, other than outdoor clubs and students cleaning up to leave. Everyone studied nonstop the entire week, college entrance just around the corner. She didn't have friends anymore, just the occasional acquaintance that treated her with respect unlike the majority of her classmates. The one she did have was currently away while everything had been unfolding. Everything and everyone had gone away because of 'him.' Seeing him around school basking in the shambles of her fallen social status never failed to make her hopelessly angry. And yet, for some reason she wasn't aware of she made a habit of punishing herself.   
  
All the recent cuts had healed, leaving behind faint lines on the surface of her skin. In the soon to set sun they looked almost bronze. Finally looking away from the window, the noticed the clock on the wall.   
  
5:56 PM  
  
Stretching her arms out, she quickly gathered her things throwing them in any order inside the carrying case. As she stood, her bones popped.  
Sitting too long...  
The figure of someone stood anxiously near the door, her glance told her all she needed to know.  
"What do you want?"   
"How've you been...?" He asked the obvious.  
"....."  
"I wanted to start over."  
There was nothing Meryn wanted to say, honestly talking to him was pointless, it would change nothing he'd already taken pride in doing.  
"So?" He asked expectantly.  
"So?"  
He walked forward as if trying not to startle her,"You know what I mean."  
"I don't."  
"Yes you do, I see you watching us and you always look the same. Sad."  
It was impossible to not roll her eyes. "Whatever you think you've been seeing is a delusion on your part."  
Suddenly he looked panicked, holding his chest. Like some part of him couldn't accept her words. He tried once more,"Look, I can clear everything up--If you go along with me..."  
"I'd rather be alone." Meryn continued to answer abruptly.  
"You're such a tease."   
"It's all in your head. You misunderstand, but if I need to make it clear I can." She started off walking towards the door, not wanting to listen to his half-assed groveling. "I think nothing of you but contempt, in that I should have beaten your face in the second you hand puppeted everyone into following you." Stopping short of him, she looked him in the eye. Pitiful brown ones looked back.  
"You're spoiled, and have to control other people to make your life worth living--"  
"Stop-"  
"No. You need to know how sad you are!" She barked.  
  
That was the last of the tough act. It happened so fast, Meryn found herself being darted at; stumbling they both fell to the floor. She struggled underneath him but it was only met with more force. His lips mashed into hers; squinting she clenched her mouth shut, doing her best to hide her lips away. Frustrated he broke away, pinning her back when she tried to sit up. A shrill scream was immediately covered with forceful hands.  
 "I did what I did because you refused to be with me."  
 Meryn's voice shrieked through tight fingers trying to tear herself away but to no avail, she was in trouble.  
"I can make you admit it," without warning her skirt was hiked and panties torn away to expose the part of her she swore would never be violated again. Just like before, time seemed to stop; eyes wide she swung and clawed wildly in desperation to hold on to some dignity. She flung her body about beneath him try as she might, nothing was working. A weak-willed whimper escaped her, only bringing out a more brutal side than before.  
"If you can't shut up--I'll give you a reason."  
He did. And it worked.  
  
Meryn went blank, frozen; as foreign flesh was all she could see. Her eyes tried to look anywhere else, but his gaze from above stared down at her through her clear discomfort and inability to breathe. All he could see was empty eyes looking back at him, no inkling of the girl he claimed to know inside. The last bit of humanity inside him caused him to hesitate; suddenly drawing himself away. Gasping for air and coughing she never broke her stare. Trembling, he went back to where he'd started, diluting himself into thinking this was somehow better. On her back, she memorized the panels on the ceiling. Before long she had left her body; almost like astral projection being pulled into the sky.  
  
"Meryn?"  
  
Her name rang in the air, slowly being brought back to consciousness, she came back down to witness the death of herself. There she lay stunned like a child, the same child who she'd promised this wouldn't happen again. Through her eyes, someone else stared up at him taking note of the sudden realization and remorse registering on his face.  
  
"I--," he backed off in fear of his own actions unable to wrench his eyes away from her unavoidable soulless stare.  
  
Her body moved on its own, sitting up foreign traces fell from what used to be  **her**  womanhood. A hand was extended in front of her. The one used to damage her moments ago. Something inside willed Meryn to stand on her own; she would pretend that it never happened and move on. Her brain shut off, putting on a facade of her former self; smoothing the pleated uniform skirt, re-buttoning her blouse and attempting to fix her now messy hair. She had enough.  
"Are you O.K?  
No answer.  
"I'll walk you home--"  
"No." Came weakly from the shell of Meryn Jakes. As she walked past him, she stared forward pulling at the door. It was locked. He intended to do this from the start.  
  
  
The walk home was done as if unconscious; she greeted her grandparents as she usually would and dragged herself up the stairs. In the safety of her room, she undressed staring off in space for some time. Staring at the uniform around her feet and the undergarments Meryn was unable to look away from the slight tinge of red in the seat of her panties. Her eyes eventually wandered to the setting sun; the colors of the sky were yellow, orange, pink, and red.  
  
_Red._  
  
A lump formed, stinging her throat in an attempt to swallow. Fixing her eyes on to where she kept the tools necessary to ironically keep herself alive. The razor glimmered in the fading sunlight, before being dragged hard across her arm. Red lined her forearm, drops spilling over falling onto the floor.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Another line tore apart her skin, more red flowing out. A third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth. Rivers of blood crept down her forearm twisting and turning at the subtly of her movements.  
  
Nothing.  
  
In the mirror, Meryn stared into her own dead eyes driving the bloodied blade onto her ribs. The flesh tore differently at this part of her body. Surprise; the first thing she'd felt in a while. Here, the flesh was thin like paper; pink around the edges it didn't bleed as much. Another joined alongside; it stung feeling the actual tearing of her skin.  
  
More. 1,2,3,4,5,6.  
She evened the other side. 1,2,3,4,5,6. Cutting away mesmerized wanting to see more. The blade bore into her thighs; surprised this area was yellow, no blood drawn. Meryn pierced deeper, cutting through the layer. The same pink one followed before what she wanted dripped out of the exposed tissue.  
Time didn't exist. Night engulfed the room, and still, she felt nothing. Barely able to see herself in the mirror, Meryn searched within to find what would make her feel.  
  
"......"  
Her breathing stalled on the split-second decision. It was quick; one moment hands by her side, the next swiping across her throat. Finally, she felt something. No, everything.  
Pain. Fear. Sorrow. Helplessness. Most of all, disgust. Warm liquid trickled down her throat into the valley of her breasts. This body wasn't familiar, it was someone else's. Voice breaking she croaked in a panic. Red overflowed from every wound, the waterfall from her throat beyond her control. It just dawned on her the situation she was in.   
_I'm going to die._ "I don't want to die!", a wail tore through the air, her hand moved to cover the wound that was quickly killing her, clutching the afflicted area holding on tight.  
  
The elderly couple that had cared for her when her immediate family had failed to, would have to discover her body. Ruri would bring her back to life to kill Meryn herself. Inwardly, she wondered what Shea would do if or when she found it. Light-headed, Meryn wavered. Through blinks she watched herself fall to the floor. Trembling and gasping she broke. Tears fell relentlessly, wetting her cheeks. It felt like the life was literally pouring out of her, onto the hardwood floor. The pool of dark red was the last thing she saw before everything went dark.  
  
Time marched forward. Taking her from one trial to the next. Meryn had failed to protect herself, and worse, hurt people in the process. Her grandmother found her body unconscious, naked on the floor; a puddle of blood slowly creeping along the floorboards trailed under her door. Since then, Grandma Kanno looked at her differently. Helplessness in tired eyes. Grandpa was trying to be strong for them both, but it was clear how Meryn hindered them so. When Ruri had gotten back from her family affair, she was deeply hurt. She wouldn't stop crying; it was new, she'd never seen her best friend cry before.  
  
_I'm too weak._  
Months passed and not a word of the events leading up to her life nearly ending was uttered to anyone. Meryn refused to even begin to think about it. The one time she let herself sit and think, was the time she sealed her fate, crossing over into a new level of unstable. Nothing in the world could bring any sense of normalcy back into her life. Not after she went above and beyond, exceeding her own expectations on how ruthless she could potentially be.

* * *

Vibration in her pocket woke her from a daze. Some time had passed, about an hour went by without her knowing it. The phone showed a familiar number that she'd seen before, exactly the same as the one in her coat pocket. She compared the number with the handwriting scribbled onto a stained napkin. _Yep_. Curiosity got the best of her wondering what he'd said. She guessed something along the lines of 'Where are you?' _Yep._  
  
[Where are you? If you see this come back to Kong. Everyone's waiting.-2D]  
It felt wrong not to reply and let someone worry, but she doubted any of them would miss her especially after they found out she was a mess of a person. Meryn flipped it shut; picking herself up to continue doing what needed to be done for her departure. The lines at the ticket counter of the train station were a little lengthy, but nothing compared to the endless transfers and lines of Shibuya.   
  
"Hello ma'am how may we help you?"  
Her eyes shot up to meet the eyes of none other than Deanne. A forced smile and puffy tired eyes. Averting her gaze, Meryn spoke up,"To Brighton, as soon as possible."  
"Certainly!" The expression changed to confusion, it was obvious she so desperately wanted to ask the obvious.  
Meryn humored her,"Hate your job?"  
"No, I hate you!" Came spoken to her more than a simple reply.  
"Wow. I feel insulted. I should speak to your manager." She replied flat, loud and indifferent. Fear of losing her job she waved her hands looking around for any higher-ups who may have heard what Meryn said.  
  
"Why're you leaving? Did you get kicked out?" Deanne was prying like she did when they were children, but today Meryn was low on patience.  
  
"Yes. You should go and take my place, I told them about you; and how much of a fan you are and they decided to redo the selection." The lie came out so smoothly, so concise and topped off with the wide-eyed excitable stare. Although unsure of whether to believe her or not, Deanne beamed at the thought.   
  
"Aren't you going to go?" Now restless, Meryn egged it on. "I came here to send you back. I made plans in Brighton anyway so, even though you overreacted and were honestly really petty...and bitchy...and obnoxious...I wanted to make things right! I have a contact number. Just let me get it!" It was stupid but, at the expense of her being booted from Kong Studios and possibly shat on by her satanic-bassist crush, she'd give Deanne 2D's number. By the time it got back to her, she'd be long gone anyway.  
  
Opening her phone she noticed another message.  
[Meryn, say something if you're O.K.-2D]  
She read it in his voice.  
_Meryn, say somefing if yew're O.K_  
  
A low chuckle came out on its own, melting away at the realization that she was knowingly worrying him. He was nice, they all were really. And even Murdoc didn't deserve someone as annoying as Deanne. Biting her lip she typed a simple reply. Sending it instantly.  
  
[Something.]  
  
Well, that was dickish, she thought after. But she really didn't know where to begin if she did seriously reply. The least she could do was offer something better.   
  
[I'm O.K.]  
  
That would suffice, it was certainly better than the bullshit answer she'd come up with before. Eyes leaving the screen she noticed that Deanne had been speaking the entire time.She'd only caught the end of whatever she was saying,"--Who's that?"  
"Don't worry about it. I changed my mind...Don't actually go there. I mean if you're set on it go ahead, it'll be funny the way it ends up. But as I do care a tad about you, I advise against it." Meryn spoke matter of factly turning on her heel, "I'll try something else."  
  
_Cold feet._ Should she leave? Brighton only offered a brief sense of security. And although Shea had experienced similar things, Meryn wasn't her. Walking off she found herself back at the bench she was at virtually the entire morning. It was about noon at this point, the air warming as the sun reached its highest point. The soles of her shoes scrapped the pavement kicking her feet, they barely leaving the ground.  
  
Another vibration. Followed quickly after by 3 more back to back.   
Flicking her wrist, the phone flipped open displaying what he'd said.  
  
[Are you serious?]  
[Oh wait nevermind. I was got mad for a minute.]  
[Well it's good that you're O.K., but can you tell me if you're coming back?]  
[I get why you ran off on your own. But being honest, I'm a little cross with you.]  
  
She stared at his words, wondering what would have happened if she'd just faced the music in the first place. This habitual escapism was annoying other people again. It always did. Numb, she remembered each time she'd been yelled at for collapsing in on herself. Deeply sighing she drew a blank on what to do.  
  
[I'm sorry.] Was what she decided on. She intended to quickly put it away before he replied but another came in just as she hit send.  
  
[Don't apologize.--2D]  
  
She chuckled. Another response came immediately after.  
  
[And you did it anyway, you're killing me love!--2D]"  
  
For the first time in a long time, Meryn burst into laughter, her cheeks hurt with how hard she smiled. Unable to stop the painful grin, she accepted it wincing at the hot feeling built up on her face. It took a moment but after pulling her cheeks in the opposite direction she slowed to a cackle. Bouncing in place at the last few gleeful laughs, she had hardly noticed a black car coming to stop in front of her.  
  
With a low hum the window rolled down to unleash the loud abrupt grunts and dramatic gestures of the Gang Green Gang reject in the front seat.   
  
"Get! The hell! In!"  
  
Her attention shot to Murdoc, the relentless smiles fading instantly. He couldn't have been more annoyed, shooting patronizing looks at her as if she were too stupid to understand what he said. "H-how'd you-? Why're you?," Meryn stood up dumbfounded, no actual sentences being formed. A door on the other side opened, the entire car shifted at Russel's exit. While seemingly happy to no longer drive around Essex in search of a girl he'd just met not even 2 weeks ago he looked exhausted; Russel walked around the car picking her up in one swoop, hauling her over his shoulder like a child that lost their parents in a grocery store. She half expected him to throw her in the car like a piece of furniture, instead, he placed her at the door. It looked as if he wanted to say something, but he decided against it with the shake of his head instead motioning for her to get in.  
  
"What's the fuckin' hold up back there?" Murdoc slurred impatiently slapping the car door his arm was hanging out of.  
  
Obediently she sat down scooting next to Noodle who found it hard to look at her. Nonetheless, she'd at least spoken,"Hallo~ Genki?" Meryn awkwardly looked down at her feet in shame,"We'll see how the rest of the day goes." The petite girl chuckled rolling her eyes looking back out the tinted window.  
  
The back door suddenly closed, grabbing her attention.  
  
"Made ya lauf', love. Saw it frum there!" 2D pointed to the nearby street corner extremely proud of himself, he slid in like nothing happened mid-laughter. Russel opened the front door, sliding in tilting the car off center once more. The door slammed shut and Murdoc stepped on the gas, sending everyone's backs flying into their seats.   
  
"Right then, jail bird when we get back we're going to have to go over some ground rules."

 


	7. Renewal

The entire ride back was something out of left field. Meryn wasn't sure on how they'd found her or as to why they went out of their way to do so in the first place. She so badly wanted to ask but found she was too ashamed to even try. Instead, she leaned back, her brown eyes fixated on the scenery of the back seat. Her legs tightly squeezed together, careful not to accidentally bump into 2D or Noodle. Short, skinny legs to her left angled towards the window she perched her elbows on; 2D sat crammed, his legs way too long for comfort, almost in fetal position he stared forward, lips pooched with a dumb expression on his face. He noticed, swiveling himself to face her. He caught her. Meryn stared back immobile like a deer in head lights before retreating back to her legs.  
  
 The silence was almost unbearable up until they'd finally made it back. The iron gate to Kong creaked open; for once no strange explainable happenings or presences to be seen. With a long drawn out groan, Murdoc parked in front,"Alright, get out." The silence continued on into Kong. It was only some hours since Meryn left but she'd missed the peculiarity of their home. Hesitance took over at the sight of the director who situated himself at the entrance. "Good, Miss Jakes if you would..." He was being strangely cordial, hand extended pointing her in the direction of the conference room that this all started in almost 2 weeks ago. Obediently she followed, dragging her feet past his form into the room. Two people, she'd never seen before sat up at her entrance.  
  
 The woman spoke, "Hello, please have a seat! We've been waiting for you to arrive."Meryn froze feeling very much like she was once again under a spotlight. From behind, a friendly hand was placed on her shoulder. "Come on, you're next t'me," 2D's touch thawed her of unease. Rounding the table, she sat eyes averted from everyone. In her peripheral, 2D sank next to her leaning back in his chair. Chairs creaked at the weight of the rest of the attendees and the door shut.   
  
"O.K. Miss Jakes, thank you for final-," the director corrected himself. "Thank you for joining us." He scooted up to the table a bit drained with a deep sigh seemingly unsure of where to start. The petite blond woman perked up, placing her hands on the table, "Miss Jakes, welcome. I'm Dr.Gaines, I've been assigned to screen what happens here today and assess you for your and erm Gorillaz' safety."  
  
"Hello, it's nice to meet you," Meryn managed to yank her view off the table and to the person speaking. Murdoc across the table rolled his eyes, murmuring something to himself under his breath. Everyone else in her glimpse looked just as uncomfortable as she was. The doctor nodded, smiling patiently," Also with me today is Detective Jonson, I'm sure you were aware of an investigation being conducted on your background information...We're here today to help Gorillaz and the director of this event come to a conclusion on your stay here at Kong Studios." She paused, empathy in her eyes, "I realize this is uncomfortable for you, and I applaud you for coming back so we may go about this the correct way."   
  
 Meryn bashfully shrank into the seat with a nod.   
"Now, Miss Jakes. On the subject of your criminal history, I've brought the specifics to the attention of everyone seated with us here today." Detective Jonson started, rolling his broad shoulders,"I found that you pled guilty to the torture of a man who reportedly...I'm sorry to hear-- sexually assaulted you and a friend in 2003. I would like to ask why you turned yourself in as a means to better understand your character." Meryn's posture fell a bit more, recalling the day perfectly.  
  
"I did something wrong. So I turned myself in."  
  
"I see. Then why do it at all if it was wrong?" he leaned forward digging for a more detailed answer. "I was angry that he'd done the same thing to another classmate of ours. When she killed herself I...snapped. I saw an opportunity to make him pay and I took it...,"Meryn shook her head, looking the man in the eyes. Woe evident on her features, she added, "I'm not proud of what I did." Detective Jonson nodded, glancing at Dr. Gaines to continue from where he left off.  
"May I call you Meryn? It's pronounced 'Mare-In' right?" the smallish psychologist asked speaking in a soft tone.  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
Smiling Dr. Gaines flipped through a notebook jotting something down,"On the numerous character witnesses recorded throughout your charts, none have dubbed you to be a threat to society. It appears you have done some time in an inpatient facility for 7 months as part of your sentence. It's unheard of for someone to get off so easily at the severity of your crime, were their any factors off the record that pertained to this ruling?"  
  
"No."  
  
She continued to write quickly jumping from page to page,"You were deemed mentally unstable at the admission of your crime AND from the admission of the man who victimized you. He reported deep cruelty; although he himself was found guilty of sexually assaulting more than 5 young women in the Shibuya prefecture. Um--" Suddenly Dr. Gaines hesitated to wrench her eyes away from her notebook, "Meryn, do you have any regrets regarding your criminal past?"  
All eyes fell on Meryn, awaiting an answer. In silence, she nodded shifting uncomfortably in her seat.  
  
"I see." One last scribble and Dr. Gaines closed her notebook shut, looking around she gauged the room for thoughts or concerns. "Does anyone have any questions or concerns for Meryn?"  
When no one answered, she stood,"Great. I'm passing to everyone here a document that states you were present during this conference. Please sign your names and we'll continue on to the next stage." Dr. Gaines walked around placing the documents in front of everyone along with small pens. Russel, Noodle, Murdoc, and 2D signed easier than Meryn expected. Then again she wasn't sure why they'd refuse this part of the process. All documents were slid back to Dr. Gaines in silence. Out of his daze Director Reynolds spoke, "On to the decision making and contractual specifics. I'll ask all of you individually what he or she thinks of this finding and your respective choice on whether Miss Jakes will continue living under the same roof until November 2006." He leaned onto the table, clicking the pen in his hand,"Let's start with Mr. Niccals."  
  
Murdoc sneered at Meryn,"Well, I didn't like the wild goose chase earlier OR that I had to sit here for this long for something so..." He searched for the word snapping his fingers; Meryn prepared herself for whatever he'd fall on. "So simple really," Murdoc finished. Shocked, she looked at him in question. He shrugged,"I mean really darling, you almost killing some sodding rapist means absolutely nothing to me." Murdoc was weirdly pragmatic, re-positioning himself he leaned across the table, austere dead seriousness in his eyes,"I honestly couldn't care less if you killed the fucker or not. See, what REALLY bugs me is that you had to go and make this so difficult. Don't know if you noticed, but this band was founded on us 4 weirdos coming together to make something out of this world. Your history isn't all that interesting in comparison." This was not what Meryn expected in the slightest. Astounded, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, mouth ajar she couldn't think of anything to say. Leaning back the green man went on nonchalantly,"That's all really. I'm not pissed at you since your coming here wasn't as boring as I predicted." His fingers twiddled the ends of his hair, dismissing himself entirely of any other commentary,"Who's next?"  
  
Russel took a breath,"I'll be real with you. I said it before to everyone earlier, but I don't think this was any of our business. I get y'all abiding by a contract but if she did her time, it doesn't need to be discussed. None of us are scared of or threatened by her bein' here." He paused, glancing at Meryn, sympathy registering in his clouded eyes,"That's all I got to say on it." Noodle brushed her hair away from her eyes, emerald green orbs contemplating her own stance. After a period of silence, she spoke up,"I'm not sure how I feel about everything, but same as Russel I think it was unfair to make someone who's paid for their crimes stand on trial again." Puckering she turned her attention to Meryn sitting across from her with a guilty look on her face,"I do think perhaps you should have brought this to light when we all first met." Noodle's face softened,"But I can understand why you chose not to though..."  
  
"Do you think it'd be O.K. for her to continue staying here?",Dr. Gaines asked after Noodle fell silent.   
  
With a small smile, she fixed her bangs back to normal shrouding her eyes in messy strands,"I've gotten used to a girl living with us, its refreshing." Meryn honestly couldn't believe everything she was hearing, all that she'd been afraid of was really so simple from the beginning. For some reason, even knowing she'd purposely hurt someone, these people were acting as if it was some menial discovery. Her heart skipped a beat, avoiding everyone's gaze in embarrassment. She truly felt stupid. 2D was the last to chime in,"Well, I fink she's good t'stay. This din't really change nuthin' f'me. I mean, we're ol' wicked odd anyways. I will say I wuz shook, but hearin' everyfing yeah? I'm jus glad it got sorted."   
  
When Meryn had done what she'd done, it was met with judging eyes and people cowering in fear of her. She was just a 19-year-old girl, but the moment she acted out a sadistic plan, she wasn't Meryn to anyone anymore. She never blamed anyone for the judgment. Even to herself, she felt like a monster. Her run to England was spur the moment, running away planning to pay her grandparents back for the cost of her crimes. Meryn was so close to prostitution. Not until she met this random stroke of fate did she stop and consider any other option for someone like her to live a semi-normal life.   
  
A year ago, she threw herself into the arms of many men in an attempt of being accepted even on the most disgusting of levels. Be she someone's property or an actual person anything would have been acceptable. Her throat swelled as Meryn swallowed away the growing lump. She didn't believe in God anymore but this was as close as she'd gotten to having faith in a long time. An undeniably wide grin stretched across her face, a wave of relief washing over her.   
  
"Seems like everyone has come to a decision. For the duration of your stay, you'll be required to meet with Dr. Gaines once a month so we may keep tabs in cooperation with our signed agreement," Director Reynolds stood, hunching over the table to gather his things not wanting to spend another moment with anyone. Murdoc smirked,"Well well, looks like you got a cute little fairy tale ending, Ryn." He waited for a smug or snarky response but it never came. His brow rose expectingly,"Well?"   
  
To his surprise, Meryn smiled brightly; overwhelmed, embarrassed, and a bit jittery. Through smiling almond eyes, the look on her face was priceless. "Th-Thank you everyone for putting up with me. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble...I'll make it up to you all...," slowly she made eye contact with everyone present regardless of how she much she wanted to retreat back to her room. She was grateful. For the first time in so long, Meryn was optimistic. Murdoc snorted,"I'll be sure to cash in on that." Immediately the smile faded, her mouth puckered at his declaration,"I'm not sleeping with you Murdoc." Standing to leave he pushed past the director, muttering over his shoulder,"We'll see."  
  
  
_It's over._  
  
Dr. Gaines appeared by Meryn's side."Please contact me if you need to," she placed her hand onto Meryn's shoulder nodding patiently. "Thank you, I will." She nodded back. Detective Jonson offered a kind smile waiting to escort Dr. Gaines back to her practice. Russel stood, tapping his heavy hand on the table,"It's old now, but I left you 2 cups this morning. If you want em' they're in the pot." His kindness shined through his otherwise serious face. As he left, Noodle quickly followed only looking back to Meryn once flashing a smirk. Everyone but 2D and Director Reynolds had left. "I'm sorry for making your job difficult...Mr. Reynolds," she mustered up the courage to address him, feeling at fault for inconveniencing even someone as rude and unfriendly as him. He stared taken aback at Meryn not understanding her reasoning. Remorseful and eager to make the most of the next year, she seemed to mean it. Not wanting to give her anything in return, he simply acknowledged her apology, nodding a goodbye.  
  
2D stretched his arms out clenching his crooked teeth,"Got somefing t'say?" "Y-Yeah, not sure what though...," her hands clasped together, sucking her bottom lip in. He had been accepting of her from the start; the stupidity and embarrassment she felt was strongest in the presence of the easy-going doofus of a man 2D. A rather low drawl for him vibrated through the air in curiosity,"Can I be honest wiff yew?" Nodding, Meryn wasn't sure what to make of what he was getting at. Long dexterous fingers tapped along his jeans, fidgeting; his mouth curled on his question. "I've been wonderin' why yew tol' me yew'd see me tomorrow--Well today. Why yew'd see me today if yew knew yew were leaving. Know wha' I mean?"   
  
He was less than concise; but she knew what he meant, "I said it so you wouldn't be suspicious...Sorry."   
On her apology he shook his head,"Don't worry bout' it, it's sorted mate." 2D seemed to dismiss it all so easily. Was he really unbothered or just being nice? Tilting her head, she tried to prompt him for more without actually saying anything. He tilted back,"Wot?"  
  
"You're not put off?"   
  
Confused he frowned,"Wha'dya mean by tha'?"  
  
"You aren't creeped out by me," she tried again.  
  
"Oh. Nah, nuthin' loike tha',"thinking for a moment he paused placing his fingers to his chin,"It's moar of...Loike...Yew 'aven't done nothin' t'me and I don' fink yew would-- Long as no 'arm is done t'you. And since I'm not gonna hurt yah I don't see a reason f'me to be scared."  
  
His big dopey grin took away all the questions she could have asked him.   
  
"Are you trying to cheer me up?"  
  
"Course I am! Can't let gurls be sad now can I?"  
  
His response was so blunt, it got a chuckle from Meryn. She bellowed snickering every so often, "Guess that wouldn't be very gentlemanly."  
  
She beamed shaking her head having realized she's asked him a stupid question.   
  
Proud, 2D folded his arms humming,"Tha's right."  
  
Squinting, a tinge of pain became apparent, 2D winced holding his head,"Ah me head..." He noticed a look of concern forming on Meryn's face and laughed. "Don' worry I'll be fine."  
  
"The accident?" She asked more blunt than she'd usually ask someone of their past physical trauma, but his casual nature rubbed off on her so it seemed. "No, awlready had bad headaches since I woz a kid. Fell out a tree and had em' eva since." 2D knocked his forehead with his fist, an audible banging from against his skull. Another wince, his face scrunched up in pain even further.  
  
"D, don't do that if it already hurts!" She stopped short realizing after, that she'd called him, "D". Inwardly she cringed at how familiar she was being with him.   
  
"Wha's tha' face fo'?" The headache subsided giving him a moment's peace, palm leaving his temple, 2D tried to decipher her puzzled expression. Meryn awkwardly twiddled her fingers together in her lap,"Called you 'D' on accident." Her face looked like it might implode at any minute. Immediately he scoffed loudly,"Pffft everyone calls me tha' sometimes. I'm tellin' yah t'let loose wiff it, were basically housemates nao yeah?" Meryn smirked, 2D was as carefree as ever; even more amusing was the creak in his voice when he became excitable. She gave in.  
  
"Fiiiiine, I'll call you 'D' then,"she whined sticking out her tongue. She'd never felt so comfortable around him but it came out on its own. Her true self shining through, even he could see a difference taking place. "Heh, if were makin' nicknames I'm callin' yew...uhmmm...Cat." He grinned seeming quite pleased with what he picked.   
  
"Why that?" She asked unable to imagine where he'd gotten that.  
  
"Coz yew're ol' shy but lippy, Iunno like a cat of somefink..." hunching over in his seat, 2D seemed to now regret the name he'd chosen. A pause in between them, Meryn played along,"A 'cat' huh? Funny, since my middle name is Katherine--" Just like that his confidence was restored, he sat up boldly like he intended for it to come full circle all along,"Awright, Kat then!" He interrupted without a second thought, jumping to his feet practically jogging in place. Head tilting he motioned for her to follow, "Come on, come on Silent Hill won't be 'vailable much longah'. Remember? I tol' ya we'd do it tomorrow--Uh today!"  
  
The constant correcting himself would never stop being funny.  
  
"Okay okay."  
  
Renewed, she stood up to following suit jogging after him like a full-blown spaz. Things were a lot easier with him around. Everything that would eat away at Meryn seemed to melt away in the wake of the delightfully air headed 2D. He started off looking back over his shoulder to glare at her imitation,"Yew makin' fun of me?"  
  
Caught she burst into laughter, trying to hide her shit-eating grin,"A little."


	8. Girl A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now past the introductory chapters, things will begin to be set in motion. Chapters with sex and masturbation incoming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the sexual tension begin~

With everything settled, the days at Kong went on as they had prior to the completion of the background check and reveal of her criminal record. Everyone was themselves, including Meryn who exuded a bit more personality than before. The sarcasm and dry humor skyrocketed almost immediately, everyone taking notice as it came. Today, 2D stared off into space for longer than usual, warranting a worried inquiry from Meryn. Even though she was standing in his line of sight there as an obvious delay that seemed to make the already air-headed man even harder to reach. Concern and amusement took over her face forming a smarmy uncomfortable expression; snapping her fingers 2D broke from his trance.  
"Huh?" He looked dumbfounded, Meryn snorted at the look on his face,"You've been standing around here for about 5 minutes." "Hm? Really?" he held his chin,"Felt longah'."  
  
"What're you doing D?", she shook her head briefly, brushing aside the unruly bangs framing her face.  
  
"Got a text frum an ol' flame....," blankly, he stared wide-eyed then squinting to re-read for better comprehension. Lips pooched, he read aloud,"Comin' by later today, thought I'd give us 'nother go."  
  
"Lucky you!," Meryn put on the best smile she could.  
  
Since everything had calmed down a bit, in the recent moments in time with 2D she felt a little differently than before. At times her heart would flutter as he approached or casually sat beside her, even now, something made smiling at his news difficult. 2D shifted his weight, flicking his tongue between the front gap thinking aloud," Donno' she broke up wiff me bout' a monf ago now." Nodding, Meryn took in what he said; her eyes traveling away, hiding the tinge of jealousy that was plastered on her face. She searched for a way to keep the conversation flowing, no matter how much she'd like to walk away.  
  
A couple mundane responses came to mind. "What's she like?", came blurted out unnaturally.  
  
Pocketing his phone, 2D hummed staring at the ceiling for an answer,"Hmm well...She's a pretty liddle fing, sometimes she's a problem though."  
Focusing back to Meryn he awkwardly shrugged off the feeling of unease,"Yew'll see 'er soon though if wha' she says is true."  
"Soon, as in...?", she leaned in urging an answer.   
"Well, she said today so Iunno at sum point I guess? She ol'ways popped up a' random wif liddle warning." He swayed from side to side aimlessly, bland in expression. Already, Meryn had a bad feeling about how the rest of the day would go. Right on queue, Noodle welcomed herself into their conversation shooting 2D a look,"That girl is back." Groaning, she turned to exit,"Hurry up, she's driving me insane."  
  
Immediately 2D looked drained; a crooked forced smile of his own peeking through the facade as he made his way to the elevator. Hesitating momentarily, Meryn followed after him not sure if she should leave him be or tag along for what seemed to be the possible end of his single days. In the corner of her eye, she spotted Noodle beckoning for her to follow, her finger curled from inside the elevator motioning for her to enter. 2D walked alongside her, simultaneously they turned and leaned onto the elevator wall. Smirking, Noodle pressed the number pad to the first floor.  


* * *

  
  
The moment the elevator opened, a blur of lush blond hair and a tiny figure flung at 2D knocking him off his balance into the elevator wall. Meryn jumped back into the far corner completely caught off guard. Noodle, unfazed leaned back past the mass of two people now on the elevator floor, taking notice of the stunned wide-eyed expression splayed across Meryn's face. 2D lay flat on his back practically being straddled by the eager blond. Meryn's stomach turned at the sight, fixing her posture. It was at that point she met eye contact with the girl sitting atop 2D. Ice blue orbs peered up at her just then noticing the presence of two other people in the stalled elevator aside from 2D. She blinked jumping to her feet smoothing the ruffles of the ridiculously short skirt barely covering the gap between her already thin thighs. Her face seemed friendly enough despite what Meryn had readied herself to think of the girl.  
  
With a smile, the girl jumped forward shaking the elevator slightly directly in front of Meryn. "Hi! Name's Amelia what about you?" Her head tilted to the side waiting for a response.   
"Meryn, nice to meet you,"her hand extended was immediately grabbed by the eccentric small girl. Stronger than she looks...Her grip was unrelenting shaking Meryn back and forth at a mere greeting. The way she let go was just as peculiar, so abrupt, her back thumped onto the elevator wall. Back against the wall, she eyed the girl; short and tiny in stature with very pale skin. A painfully forced grin tore at Amelia's face like a Glasgow smile, as she returned her attention back to the blue-haired man picking himself off the floor.  
  
"Stuuuu, you didn't answer my message!" Amelia pouted frowning in impatience.  
  
She was childish almost, her demeanor changing at random was making Meryn uncomfortable, to say the least. 2D looked back and forth between Noodle and Meryn for help out of the situation,"I was jus readin' it. Din't expect t'see yew again." The first time Meryn had ever heard someone call him, "Stu". It was unfamiliar even knowing it to be 2D's real name, Meryn's own lips pursed into a pout of their own; Amelia's eyes shot over momentarily catching the expression. Her thin lips curved in amusement," Stu, who's this girl?"  
  
Confused and wanting to be anywhere but here he scratched the back of his head averting her piercing stare," She ol' ready said--."  
  
Between his explanation, Amelia cut him off with an assumption that changed the dynamic of their friendship,"Is she your new girlfriend?"  
  
Eyes widening past the point she thought they'd ever go, Meryn frowned,"That's quite a statement..."  
  
2D chimed in," She jus got here, tis nuthin' loike tha'..."  
  
Inside, she died a little at how quickly he'd added his two cents. Amelia seemed to be eating the few words he'd said,"Don't be mean Stu. She has feelings too!" Another forced, borderline disturbing smile graced Meryn. Noodle stepped out observing the body language of the two girls. One pressed against her blue-haired guardian and the other standing completely still eyes narrowing at the last thing Amelia had said. She sensed where this might go and decided to remove one from the equation.  
  
"Meryn, can you come with me?" Noodle looked back silently begging her to take the bait. Tight-lipped, she nodded walking past the pair, exiting the elevator to stand beside the young girl who'd clearly just saved Amelia from certain doom. Brushing at her long blond hair her stubby arms reached to touch the button pad not completely breaking away from 2D. The door slowly came to a close, the last thing he'd seen was Meryn back turned, standing stiff and the overhead light highlighting her hair to a more bold hue of purple. Frowning he complained,"Why'd yew say tha'?"  
  
"What are you talking about? YOU said it not me." Amelia shirked the responsibility back to 2D successfully. Mouth ajar he sighed,"I din't say nuthin..." After a moment of silence, the doors reopened to the basement floor, without saying anything she walked off towards his room at the end of the hall. Dragging his feet out of the elevator he stared down the hall to where the petite girl had parked herself against the door. "Stu, can we talk more inside?" Before she received an answer, Amelia pushed forward disappearing into the darkness. By the time 2D had gotten there and turned on the lights, she had already made herself comfortable at the edge of his bed. Legs parted slightly, bright pink peeked at him from the edge. In an attempt to ignore it, 2D looked elsewhere standing in the doorway, not trusting himself to step inside,"Wha'dya want 'Melia?  
  
"I already told you, to try again." She propped her leg up purposely flashing more pink fabric in his direction. Pouting she continued,"I thought you said you read my message?"  
"I did. It jus doesn't make sense. Yew're the one broke up wif me." Not much annoyed 2D but, at the moment Amelia was one of the people who managed to make that happen. He didn't like the uncomfortable air she brought, especially when she'd basically insulted a friend of his.   
"Stu? Are you mad at me?" Suddenly she was in front of him, he flinched in surprise unable to look at her now. Dainty hands snaked their way up his torso suggestively. He didn't want to admit it but what she was doing was working. Annoyance became curiosity his full attention now being directed by something other than the head on his shoulders. "Kinda...," he managed, becoming increasingly aware of him losing his nerve. Hands worked their way up grasping his face Amelia pulled him forward standing on her toes she mashed her lips against his. And like that, she had control. 2D had given in being dragged inside, the door slammed behind them.  
  
In the span of 3 minutes, Amelia ended up on the opposite side of the room, naked, pinned onto the wall propped up high at the mercy of the giant but kind man pushing into her. A sinister icy blue stare peered up whispering words of encouragement between sharp controlled thrusts. Her head bounced off the wall periodically whenever she threw her head back to moan out in ecstasy. Mouth upturned into a sneer she held on for dear life as 2D reached his end. Eyes clenched shut, a low soft moan escaped him. A few shallow thrusts and he pulled out at the last minute shuddering at the orgasm that sputtered onto her stomach.  
  
"That was quick Stu," she giggled once his breathing returned to normal. With a deep breath, he released her placing her back to stand on the floor looking away from her immediately,"Jus been awhile tha's ol'." Spotting a random discarded shirt, 2D retrieved it handing it to Amelia who stood pleased with a dumb smile on her face. Content, she wiped away the evidence tossing it back to him. "Stu?"  
  
He faced her tucking himself away in his briefs," Hm?"  
"Do you think that girl is pretty?"  
He paused, staring blankly at the girl he'd just succumbed to,"Why d'yew keep bringin' Meryn up?"  
"Because I want to make sure you're not interested in her. If we're getting back together, I can't have you looking at a girl you're living in close quarters with--," she rolled her eyes, reaching for the articles of clothing he'd thrown in random places not too long ago. Amelia sighed slipping back into her panties,"I'm not stupid. She's the one that won the whole sweepstake-contest-whatever it was thing yeah?"  
  
2D gulped awkwardly clenching his wrist,"I mean--Yeah I fink she's fit but we're jus friends..."  
"You can't be friends with someone you're attracted to. Either tell me she's ugly or stay away from her." Her expression soured into a foul grimace. Such a tiny girl could be intimidating. Her eyes widened, looking at him as if he were stupid," She's ugly, right?"  
"...Rioght."  
"Good. Then, you can keep being her little friend, I don't mind. See! I'm fair!" Amelia twirled sliding the skirt back up her legs and pulling the snug turtleneck back over her head. Tossing her hair out of the shirt, she smiled approaching him, on the tips of her toes she jumped in place, placing a peck on his cheek. He couldn't say anything, the only inkling of disagreement showed ever so slightly through otherwise blank features. His mouth curved into a frown, gnawing on his bottom lip.  
  
A quiet knock at the door came unexpectedly, almost going unnoticed if not for Amelia darting her attention to the sound. Meandering towards the door, a feeling of unease hit, 2D shook his head, dismissing it immediately. Grabbing the knob he flung the door open; to his horror, Meryn stood flustered before him, her fist raised about to attempt another knock. She stood frozen taking in all the sights as they were. Amelia from behind leaned forward onto his back, reminding him of her presence. Voids wide, 2D was trapped between two women. His large hands twitching held at his chest, shaking as if he'd been caught doing something wrong.   
"Sorry, to interrupt I just came down for my shirt...the gray one remember? Noodle and I were going to--," Meryn stopped short suddenly aware of someone standing behind him. Amelia peeked through the gap of his arms, drawing forward in interest. That explained why 2D stood so stiff, twice as awkward as he usually was. The second her eyes landed on Amelia, she tried to save face realizing how it must've sounded,"My shirt got mixed in with some of his when I did the laundry--." Quickly returning her attention to 2D she tried to remind him in desperation of hurrying this uncomfortable process. "Do you remember D?"  
He seemed to snap out of the horrified look at his nickname, reacting slowly he began to find it familiar.   
  
"Does it say 'Ancafe' on it?" Came from behind him on queue.  
"Yeah, it does." Meryn turned slightly to peer back through the limited space, Amelia stared daggers back, holding the shirt in question. It was familiar, it suddenly dawned on him; he'd just handed a grey shirt to Amelia minutes ago. Moreover, she'd just used it to wipe away the evidence of what they'd just done. 2D broke into a cold sweat, his heavily medicated head reeling.  
  
"This?"  
The wank stained shirt drew forward from underneath his panicked shaky arms; white globs in plain sight. Without another thought, 2D snatched it out of the air before Meryn's outstretched hands could receive it.  
  
"NEEDS T'BE RE-WASHED! B-BUGGER ME SPILL'T SOMFING ON IT LAS' NIGHT!" Frantically spat from his quivering lips, stumbling forward towards his innocent new housemate. Confused chocolate brown eyes flickered from the shirt to 2D. Did she notice?  
Her brow rose in suspicion for just a moment, dropping at the turn of her heel," Kay, sorry again for interrupting."  
"Actually, Meryn?"  
Plum hair swung at the turn of her head, 2D looked on nervous unable to pry himself from where he stood. At Amelia's call, she'd turned back to face the small woman standing in his doorway. "Yeah?"  
In a few steps, the blond stood directly in front of her attentively staring up at her,"I wanted to talk to you for a minute. You know, woman to woman?"  
Cold blue eyes flicked from Meryn's form to 2D standing idle in fear in the background. He swallowed his nerves, clenching the shirt of his dear friend wanting so badly to fix his mistake. Teeth chattering; both girls turned their attention to him, Meryn's soft brown eyes inviting him closer, and Amelia's wintery stare daring him to interrupt.  
"I'm gonna go w-wash tis' then," 2D slid away retreating knowing there was nothing he could do to defuse the situation; instead he decided to focus on making things right starting off down the hallway. Satisfied, Amelia tilted her head up to view the woman before her; tall, curvy, dark plum hair and golden tan skin, the exact opposite of her. Her thin lips curved in disgust at the sight.  
"Meryn, how old are you?"  
Not understanding the relevance of the question asked, she answered anyway,"19."  
Focusing on the much smaller girl she returned it,"And you?"  
"Who me?" Confident, Amelia swayed puckering her lips,"23."  
Silence filled the little space between them.  
"Okaaaaay...," shifting from leg to leg Meryn waited for whatever else would come.  
A soft chuckle took over the area, sky blue eyes lowered finally getting to the point. "How long have you liked Stu?" Amelia wasn't watching the face of her competition, but could practically feel the shift of the atmosphere.  
  
After a while, she answered,"About as long as you've been threatened by me. So not very long." Meryn's voice was plain, the way she spoke so nonchalantly in regards to Amelia's boyfriend and how she wasn't fazed in the slightest at how she'd been put on the spot was infuriating. Not what Amelia expected in response. Delicate little hands framed Amelia's face, accentuating the fake smile she wore. Almond eyes narrowed, the overhead light illuminating rich brown irises reflecting the blond crown and doll-like eyes of this girl who intended to make her uncomfortable. Standing proud, long blond locks threaded through Amelia's fingers,"Then I probably should have given your cum stained shirt back, you'd have something of Stu's to hold onto."  
Nothing.  
Frustrated, she searched the bronze girl's face. Meryn remained the same. Within a few seconds, the unreadable expression was replaced with a smirk and nod. Her lips pursed slightly as if she was being kissed lightly, a glazed over intimidating stare leaning forward to even their eye level.  
  
"I thought good whores always swallowed."   
  
Snarling, front teeth peeked out from her mouth, a step forward their faces were only inches apart. Amelia shook her head slowly in warning,"Don't challenge me."  
In an instant the space narrowed still, Meryn took one more step forward; towering over the little nuisance standing up straight. The view of menacing brown eyes quickly replaced by the valley of tan breasts inside of the V-neck Meryn wore. Furrowing her eyebrows, Amelia drew backward looking away from rather impressive assets she lacked; before she'd completely wrenched her gaze away, a smug little smile surfaced on full pooched lips. The lips moved subtly, a small front gap could be seen at the whisper of Meryn's words.  
"I'm not challenging you."  
Their eyes met again; head tilting, wispy dark cherry strands grazed on the defined features of her warm skin tone. The lips spoke again,"But, if you intend to continue and challenge me, I'll be more than happy to entertain you."  
  
Caught in brown glass eyes, Amelia shook in anger. "You aren't his type--"  
"That means nothing to me. I'm not trying to appeal to him." Meryn answered quickly, shutting down the inane gripes this spoiled little girl would try and pull.  
"Hmph that's for the best, he told me you were ugly anyway."  
  
Even though the things coming out of Amelia's mouth were undoubtedly piss poor attempts at hurting her, Meryn inwardly winced at the suggestion. In her experience men were simple. Thinking of 2D as a man was somehow difficult. He'd never once threw a corny pick up line or so much as try and touch her. Any accidental physical contact was met with an apology, the only one who'd so much as flirt with Meryn was Murdoc. While knowing this was most likely a lie, the small chance that she was telling the truth or at the very least 2D DID think of her like that bothered her. But, she refused to let it register on her features. With a shrug, she dismissed the comment,"Whatever makes you feel better."  
  
The elevator rang in the arrival of the car a few feet away from them. The doors slowly opened to reveal the crotch scratch of Murdoc through blue jeans. He noticed them both stepping out,"Hey there Ryn, I see you met 2D's ball and chain." Amelia turned her head shooting a death glare at him, long yellow strands slapping Meryn in the face at the sharp turn of her head. Blinking, she let it slide shooing the fly away blond hairs out of her face.  
"OooH,"snarky grunts echoed in the hall, Murdoc shrugged sliding his hands in his pockets. Smug he called over his shoulder,"Better be careful now, our little jailbird looks like she's already about had it with you."  
  
"Jail-bird?" Amelia extended her neck in question, glancing up at the girl she'd just pissed off. Slowly out of the corners of her eyes, Meryn returned the glance arms folded and serious in expression,"Are we done here?"  
  
No answer, just a calculating look; she was sizing Meryn up, planning something. It was obvious. Amelia looked off indifferent,"Sure, we'll see each other again. It was nice meeting you sweetie."  
_Sweetie?_ Coming from someone so much smaller, the patronizing name didn't have much effect. Fed up; Meryn rolled her eyes stepping into the elevator pressing the number 1 on the pad, she turned before the doors closed leaning onto the wall of the lift. Beady little eyes stared daggers at the other side until the door closed. 

* * *

  
As soon as the door closed, Amelia lost it. Meryn had gotten to her. And worse, she was intimidated. Nails dug into her face dragging down her flushed cheeks. Fist clenched, the nails dug into the palms of her pale tiny hands. In the corner of her eye, she could see her hair; long and lush, lining her body enveloping her shoulders and falling to her sides. Suddenly, the urge to do something she'd never considered before surfaced. Hands flung to her golden locks pulling and tearing small clumps of Rapunzel-like hair from her head. Breathing erratically she dropped them onto the floor, hands flying to rustle up the rest of her hair. As she calmed, Amelia smiled walking back to the bedroom of her beloved "Stu" dropping more strands in random places near the door. Back against the wall, she slumped onto the floor; knees up in fetal position and eyes wild. In the most pathetic voice she could she called to him.   
  
"Stu?!"  
  
In the laundry room, 2D stood watching the lone shirt twirl and roll around in the wash. Ashamed, he put in twice as much detergent as recommended. The shirt disappeared in white suds sloshing back and forth rhythmically, the color only reminded him of his fuck up even further. Head lowered, he leaned against the wall in thought. Amelia had a problem with Meryn being his friend, and he couldn't figure out why. He never did anything remotely flirty or sensual; all they'd done is talking about stupid things and watch horror film after horror film. However...His shoulders tightened recalling what Amelia asked him.  
  
_"Do you think she's pretty?"_  
  
For some reason, he became uneasy looking around paranoid as if someone nearby could hear or read his thoughts. The truth is, he'd never thought of her that way. Squirming where he stood, he couldn't lie to himself; she WAS pretty. Gulping he glanced back to the wash as it came to a stop. The rinse was still soapy, tons of foam crinkling atop the article of clothing. In silence, he reset it. Since he'd gotten back from his vacation after the band broke up, 2D had been quite...busy. Chatting up girls left and right, he'd left a trace of himself in many. Guilt took over, remembering how he'd contracted gonorrhea in 2001 when his fame was still on the rise.   
  
Although, he'd been cured of that long ago; the claims of unnamed women he'd slept with while working the fairgrounds back home were eating away at him. He wasn't sure he'd ever want to be a father but from the mouths of 7 different women, he would be whether he was prepared or not. They'd all been flings, nothing special, no actual ties to any of them. But all the same, they were already taking legal action. Rapidly shaking his head, 2D pushed the thoughts away biting his lip he clutched his head bringing his concerns back to the present.  
  
Disgust tearing across his face, he squinted,"Only reason I 'aven't pursued Kat is coz she's ol'ready been mucked up by some sod...Doesn't need moi added baggage anyways." Tired of thinking, 2D walked away deciding he would come back in some time to put her shirt in the dryer.   
  
Burying his large hands in his pockets he dragged himself back to his room. Without the loud swishing of the machine, he perked up hearing his name. His real name. Numb, he followed the call eventually recognizing the shrill voice of his girlfriend. One thick brow scrunched at her form on the floor outside his room. Alarmed, he barreled forward stumbling over his own feet. "Wha' 'appened t'yew?"  
Spider-like legs knelt to the floor beside her, head tilted in concern. His pitch black eyes falling on small patches of blond outstretched in front of her.   
"I-I tried to apologize and she grabbed me!" Amelia looked up to show him the damage done. Scratch marks on her cheeks, eyes puffy red, and thinned hair in random spots on her scalp.  
"Who did?"  
"That new girl!" She sniffled, wiping away at her dry eyes.  
2D frowned unsure of what exactly to believe,"Why wuld Kat-I mean Meryn do tha'?"  
He answered his own question, glaring into her eyes,"Wha'd yew do?"  
Amelia's entire face contorted into a scrunched up ball of rage,"I DidNT dO AnYTHINg! WHy'rE YOU DeFEnDInG HEr?!"  
  
Saddened, he knelt beside her puzzled," Sorry! Sorry! I'm jus askin'..." 2D dropped it wanting anything but to fight or accuse any further.  
"I'm not safe here Stu...and Murdoc was trying to sleep with me again," small soft hands cupped his face squishing his cheeks. His mouth ajar, he breathed shallow breaths caught by her grip.  
"We can't spend much time in Kong anymore...Remember how you told me Murdoc was always trying to steal your old girlfriends away? Did you say he slept with one of them? I'm not comfortable here Stu...can we get away for awhile? Please?"  
  
2D exhaled, air whistling through the gaps in his teeth,"We 'ave tha' event were goin' to...if yew don' wan' t'be round I'll jus end up goin' wif Noodle or...Meryn or...someone..."  
  
She went silent, letting him go. "I can still go to that. I'm not scared of her...Look can you help me up? I want to go home."   
Nodding he held out his hand,"Where's yer coat?"  
She took it; her legs wobbled like a fawn trying to stand for the first time,"Upstairs."  
  
Tired of everything, he walked with her to the elevator. The door opened up on the first floor to Noodle and Meryn sitting in the main area. Both of their heads turned, doing double takes on Amelia's disheveled appearance. Crystal blue eyes looked at him expectingly, grabbing hold of his arm she held on tight.   
"Go on get yer coat...I'll meet you outside 'Melia." He gestured for her to walk ahead, glancing over to where Meryn sat.  
"Okay, Stu..." She quietly gathered her bags and coat walking out the entrance of Kong. Immediately, 2D fixed his eyes on his newer housemate.  
"Can we talk fo' a minute love?" Came weakly from the tired-eyed man. His back hunched disappearing around the corner.  
Noodle watched suspicious, as Meryn lifted herself from the couch staring holes in her back as she disappeared after him.  
  
"Kat...Did yew do somefing to 'Melia?" He asked outright, getting straight to the point.  
She lagged on her response,"No."  
"She's got hair missin' loike it was yanked from 'er skull...," he continued narrowing his eyes. Taken back; Meryn's expressions changed from shocked to sad, to disappointed to numb. "No." She answered again.  
Uncertain, 2D scratched his head anxiously,"Kay..."  
  
"2D?"  
His fingers stopped in their tracks,"2D?"  
"Yes, 2D." She was refusing to call him what she normally would.  
His shoulders sank in defeat,"Wha' is it?"  
"Do you think I'm ugly?"  
  
Stunned; he froze, holding his breath. "No."  
"Then, maybe everything she says isn't true D."  
There was nothing inside her at that moment, she'd left the moment he accused her. Devoid, his face fell,"Got'cha..."

 


	9. Haunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning. This. Chapter. Is. Gross.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disturbing subjects and descriptions. Violence, rape-revenge, nauseating details, sadistic behavior. All courtesy of the warped mind of a very disturbed individual.

Dark lacquer eyes stared off, chin in his palm 2D was more spacey than usual. Since the ordeal, he'd spent most of his time away from Kong per the request and barking of his ogre of a girlfriend, Amelia. Day to day she'd drag him around Essex, claiming to fear her life if she ever stepped a foot near Kong. More specifically, the fear of Meryn rearranging her face. Ever since he'd accused her, he tried his best to stay out of sight, out of mind. Of course, he'd see the girl around when he was home; sitting by herself or with Noodle. Meryn wasn't refusing to speak to him, in fact, she initiated a conversation from time to time. 2D grew to be paranoid with how her bronze form seemed to morph out of his peripheral or how Meryn would often catch him off guard appearing from behind when he least suspected it. On the latest occurrence, he was caught sneaking around specifically trying to avoid her. The asshole bassist took joy in feeding him false information on Meryn's whereabouts. Thinking back, he kicked himself for being so gullible. Comfortable in his own home for the first time in a long time but the moment he spotted plum-hued hair and the familiar sunny skin of his once good friend 2D jumped back and yelled so loud he thought his stomach had turned inside out.  
  
The stubble on his chin crunched with his nimble fingers stroking away deep in thought. 2D swallowed; whenever he so much as thought of Meryn, he became a bundle of nerves, it didn't help that his girlfriend insisted on bringing her up whenever she found the chance.  
"Stu?"  
Eyes rounded out from his previous contemplative staring into nothingness, coming back down to earth; he blinked returning to reality. The reality in front of him was none other than the constant reminder of why he hated his inability to hurt the feelings of people he thought too fragile to disappoint. Amelia was no saint, but 2D didn't want to admit the real reason why he'd let her continue to walk all over him. A guaranteed sexual encounter whenever she laid eyes on him. The only other thing about her that made him stay was the memory of how nice she was when they'd first met. She was refreshing, compared to the slew of fangirls that threw themselves at him. A little rough around the edges but nothing too alarming. Just a tendency to be melodramatic and overly affectionate. But between the time she left him and now, something had changed. Amelia glared expectingly across from him, her eyes fleeting every so often, something heavy on her mind.  
"STU?!"  
"Y-YEAH?" He jumped, the entire table shook at his sudden movement.  
Disappointed, Amelia sucked her teeth,"Did you hear anything I said?"  
Wanting to avoid being yelled at, 2D lied through his teeth,"Uh...yeah. I did."   
  
Devoid of anything but contempt, Amelia rolled her eyes,"Repeat what I said." That didn't take long. Distraught, the poor man sank into his seat,"....Well, the fing bout tha' is--" No use, she'd already called his bluff. Her glacial stare said it all. She sat up straight narrowing her eyes, burning holes into his own,"Thinking about whats-her-face again?"  
Suddenly indifferent, 2D talked back without a second thought,"If I am, its coz yew bring 'er up evry bloody second f'tha day." Amelia easily intimidated him, but even he had his limits to what he would take. Pouting, she tossed her hair over her shoulder,"I'm not sure what you mean."  
"Yeah. Sure."  
"Shut up D."  
"Don' col me tha', keep it a' Stu." The second it flew out his mouth, 2D realized something. If anyone was going to call him that, he'd rather it be a someone he could actually stand. Someone like Meryn perhaps? Gaze averted, what he'd said came out a little meaner than intended. Scrunching his face at his own words he apologized,"Sorry..." When he searched her face, he found nothing. He tried again,"Um, 'Melia I'm sorry jus a liddle tired I guess." Holding his shoulder for security, 2D pushed back in his chair standing to his feet,"Maybe...I should 'ead 'ome." Still, Amelia said nothing.  
 Silently, she stood up pushing in her chair, holding her blank expression as she walked past the puzzled Stu Pot. His head turned slowly to watch her walk off; usually, he'd go after a girl but right now he'd just wanted to be left alone. Hands weaseled into his pockets, 2D walked in the opposite direction, the long way back to Kong Studios. He didn't mind, if it meant avoiding conflict he'd take his time. In any case; it'd give him time to think, maybe even start planning how he'd go about an upcoming track for the next album. With a hefty sigh, he shrugged, "I'll jus text 'er later or somefing..."  
  
  
  
The time spent by himself was much needed, it made the trip seem quicker than he knew it to be. Exhausted, 2D turned the knob to enter. As soon as he walked through the front door--  
  
"D?"  
His entire body pivoted at the voice,"Nnh yeah?"  
Smiling up at him, Meryn boldly spoke,"Avoiding me?" Although uncomfortable forcing the interaction, she was just happy to finally get a response. The forward approach caught 2D off guard, his hands shot up waving about frantically wanting anything but to offend her further than he already had. Stuttering on his words, he shifted from side to side,"N-No! I mean- I donno yew got me off! Don' know wot t'say..." His head turned in every direction other than forward, unable to look her in the eye. He could feel her eyes on him, contrary to Amelia, Meryn's eyes warmed him from the inside out. Her demeanor darkened, 2D was terrible at lying. Head lowered, Meryn tensed before him now regretting confronting him.  
  
"I-I'm sorry. Look uh, don' be sad O.K. It's jus..." he sighed on his exhale. "Really 'ard t'play both sides o'tha fence. Caught in the middl' know wot I mean?" Watching her head rise, he all of a sudden found it impossible to look away. She swallowed her lip rolling her shoulders,"I'm sorry."  
Clenching his teeth, 2D scratched his head,"T's not yer fault."  
"I'm sorry."  
"Christ Kat," he groaned dragging his palm down his face. Frustrated but somehow smitten by her nothing apology. Half smiling he chuckled,"Yer killin' me, love."  
His body language was ever changing. Her cheeks swole, Meryn stifling in laughter," Sorry?" Snorting, she laughed out loud hunched forward holding her stomach. Foreign hands reached out grasping her shoulders; gently he shook her back in forth wailing in pure frustration,"STAHP IT!"  
It only made her laugh harder, it was contagious; causing 2D to crack a smile himself. Releasing her from his grasp, he rubbed his nose,"Heh sorry fings 'ave been...weird lately yeah?"  
  
"I hadn't noticed." A bead of sweat trailed down the side of Meryn's face as her laughter came to a halt. Wanting to talk to the man as long as possible, she attempted to find something to talk about. What she landed on wasn't exactly a subject she should talk about, but she made the best attempt to sound interested "So how's your girlfriend?"  
"Bein' honest--"2D paused looking around as if she'd somehow heard him. Even outside of Kong. Head shaking from side to side, he felt silly but still found himself leaning forward to whisper,"She's been a pain in my moi rear end. Drivin' me mad I tell ya." Meryn folded her arms,"Is that so?" Both became quiet pondering what each should do or say next. Within 5 seconds they'd both opened their mouths to speak only to realize the other was also. Another painful silence ensued at both of their retreats. Overwhelmed, Meryn overflowed word vomit seeping from her lips,"I really didn't do anything to Amelia. You believe me right?"  
  
Cocking his head, 2D pouted in discomfort his tongue poked out in between his front gap,"I know, but t's 'ard to fink she did tha' t'herself...she really loves 'er hair..." Retracting his tongue, he clarified,"But I believe ya, Kat." Some tension receded, a small relieved smile broke through the saddened look she wore at her question. At her next question, the smile melted away,"Can I be honest with you?"  
2D blinked one eye widening at the pull of his thick brow.  
  
"She said somethings that to be frank pissed me off. I won't hurt anyone that hasn't hurt me, but I won't lie to you..." Her expression serious and mouth shrinking, Meryn told him the truth,"If she does initiate anything physically, she'd lose more than a few tufts of hair; if I do something, I admit it. I won't hide that from anyone. I hope you understand."  
He'd gone stiff at her words, taken back he felt as if she meant what she said. 2D gulped,"Not one t'mess wiff are ya?" Embarrassed, Meryn stuck out her tongue hoping to defuse the atmosphere she created,"Sorry, I just wanted to be honest." Lifting her fist, she playfully knocked her skull acknowledging how much of a head case she must have been in his eyes.  
  
Vibration audibly buzzed from his pants pocket, automatically his hand shot to answer but fell short knowing who it mostly was. He hadn't thought of what to say; quickly racking his brain for anything at all he held his jaw decisively puckering his lips. His gaze wandered from place to place eventually falling on Meryn standing in front of him awkwardly. More specifically, he fixed his eyes on what she was wearing. Standard apparel; jeans, hi-tops, and what looked to be a band tee. Eyes squinted he could make out the word despite the fact that some of her hair draped over it. Ancafe.  
  
Ashamed, his shoulders fell at the same gray shirt he defiled some days ago. Arms hanging by his side, 2D badly wanted to apologize,"Um Kat I wan' t'pologize...'Melia told me she um..told you bout--" No use, he couldn't bring himself to say it. Given up, he stared at the ground, only perking up at the sound of Meryn's voice breaking through the silence.  
  
"It's O.K." She half smiled, swallowing the lump growing in her throat. Soft brown eyes looked through him,"You ARE a man." That came out wrong. "I mean...I get it. It was a accident. It's fine." While not being the brightest crayon in the box, even 2D could see clearly that she was bothered by it despite the show she put on. His pale face flushed red remembering well where the white globs once were.   
  
Embarrassment was replaced quickly after with a thorough inspection of the shirt. It fit fairly loose everywhere but the one place that mattered; where Amelia had wiped coincided with her chest. He realized soon after she was busty and became unable to wrench his voids away from taking her in. Her squirming under his undisguised gawking brought 2D back to attention. Blinking he caught the questioning glimpse Meryn was giving off; quickly turned his head away he finally responded,"Kay wha'ever yew say Kat." No dice. It was still just as awkward, and both of them could feel it. Mouth scrambling into a jumbled up line, 2D had no idea what else to say.  
  
"Wanna answer that?" Meryn pointed to his pocket. The entire time his phone had been vibrating nonstop, somehow he tuned it out. With a heavy nod, he jitterily fished it out of his pocket. Almost dropping it, he caught it before it hit the floor. "Um...'ello?"  
  
Immediately a barrage of incomprehensible yelling came from the speaker, his head flung away at the screeching in his ear. Meryn's eyes widened in surprise furrowing in pity. Motioning away, she pointed off down the hall. Sheepishly 2D nodded waving at her exit. Before she was out of his sight, Meryn turned back imitating the crazed girl swiveling her neck from side to side mocking and lips quietly chattering mouth 'nyeh nyeh nyeh' with a constipated googly-eyed expression.   
  
"Pfffft!" 2D spat out, slapping his hand over his mouth hoping she hadn't heard him.   
  
"ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?!" Came clear as day from the speaker even from where Meryn was standing. Stammering 2D spoke up,"N-NO I jus sneezed tha's ol!" He pleaded trying to save face.Across the room, Meryn gasped out in disbelief of what he was putting up with. Her arms flailed in a manner 2D couldn't decode, before turning the corner she winced mouthing,"Sorry."  
  
  
  
The back and forth echoed from down the hall, 2D fighting for his life. Her hand shot to cover her mouth with the snicker that was about to burst from her lungs. Things didn't go the way she hoped, there were a lot more awkward silences than resolve in the conversation seconds ago. At the very least, she managed to make him speak to her. Her features hardened, the way he was staring before she guessed he recalled where exactly he'd...decorated her shirt. Either that or, he was just staring at her breasts. Both seemed plausible; she wondered approaching the stairs. Her feet stopped at the beginning of the staircase without Meryn realizing it. Head thinking back to how she'd made 2D nervous speaking about Amelia. The look on his face replayed again and again. No matter how she tried to forget about it, it remained heavy on her mind. It was a face she'd gotten many times before. But Meryn hadn't gotten used to it. Nor did she think she ever would. Whenever she got like this, it took hours to go away. Overthinking and overthinking until it got under her skin.  
  
"Ryn?"  
  
Murdoc went unnoticed coming up on her from behind. Standing directly beside her, he folded his arms across his chest peering at her from her side. No response. "You're almost as empty-headed as 2D know that?" Her head turned coming face to face with him. His red eye especially attention-grabbing while standing in close proximity. Mouth curved into a simper, Murdoc stood in front of her now blocking the way on the first step. The step gave him a boost in height. By the growing smirk on his face, he was enjoying the edge it gave him. "Hnnn," he leaned in inches from Meryn's face, the toothpick in his mouth flicking from corner to corner dared to scratch her across the face. Sighing, her face soured,"You smell...interesting today." He didn't move breathing without hesitation in her face,"It's called 'fags and slags' it rhymes. See?" Murdoc's tongue seemed to roll itself out like a red carpet balancing the toothpick on the flattened surface. Disgusted, she stepped back condescendingly glaring, her lip turned upward into a sneer,"You're literally a lizard with a cock eye. How do you get anyone?"  
  
A loud scoff and grunt ripped through the air,"As pleasant as always aren't we?" His less than fragrant breath wafted into Meryn's nose even with her attempt to make space between them. "Likewise." His boots balanced on the edge of the step,"And here I came to talk to you out of the goodness in my heart." Dead eyes watched him leaning back and forth, only responding to make him get to the point,"And what did you want to talk about?"  
  
"About you love."  
  
"What about me?  
  
"About what you did the other day." Murdoc's elongated tongue licked his chapped lips flipping the toothpick round and round on the tip of his tongue. For a moment, she didn't respond only standing there tight-lipped. In another moment, it was stretched into a painfully fake smile,"I didn't do anything."  
"Oh? Your history tells a different story." He continued to pry,"Look I don't blame you, the slag is an obnoxious sodding bitch anyhow...wouldnt bother putting my cock in her."  
_Disgusting.  
_  
"I didn't do anything."Meryn plainly repeated herself. His eyes bobbled from the ceiling back to her,"So. She DID do it to herself, did she? Hn, more whacked than we thought."  
  
"We?"  
  
Nodding, Murdoc finally stepped down,"Yeah she was mental before yeah...? But considering your habits we thought you'd put her in her place." The toothpick flicked out of his mouth, bouncing off the wall and onto the floor. "Well...I say 'we' but Noodle and Russ figured you hadn't."  
In place of Meryn's silence, Murdoc continued to run his mouth,"Girl fights are always clawin' at each other and pulling hair. Do me a favor, let me know when you get tired of her talking and finally lay her out." Grunting, his shoulders bounced,"Don't wanna miss you two going at it."  
  
"You're so typical Murdoc..." Sighing she pushed past having enough of being put on trial. Murdoc's words went ignored by Meryn as she climbed the stairs. She was at a level of frustration that she couldn't hope to put up with; it was best to walk away before she proved him right. The door to her room creaked shut behind her.  _Safe._ There in the safety of her room, it was O.K. to unload. No one to judge or assume; here she could hide away her instability. It had been awhile since her mind spiraled in thoughts of what got her here in the first place.   
  
On the edge of her bed, Meryn hunched forward holding her legs, her face buried in her thighs. She held on tight taking a deep breath. She'd be stuck with the assumptions for the rest of her life. Even knowing there was more to her than what she'd done, this would outlast any accomplishment or glimmer of light.   
  
_Bad things happen to people all the time. Why couldn't I just deal with it?  
_  
_Why did I exact revenge?_  
  
Meryn Jakes hated herself and her choices, and yet this one thing she would do again. Blanketed in the darkness, she recalled it all until she was lulled off to sleep.

* * *

  
20 Zip ties  
10 Nails  
1 Hammer  
1 Cloth  
5 Inch Heels  
1 Industrial Stapler  
1 Container of Bleach  
1 Carton of Eggs  
4 Cups of Rice  
5 Leather Belts  
1 Knife  
15 Used Razor Blades

 

 

Thinking back, the list she made was a strange one; but if Meryn was going to carry out this deed it required planning. Her mind was made after the second victim took her life. While Satomi was alive, she had made subtle attempts of warning and advising against spending time with  _him_. This was done despite being in a different friend circle, or in Meryn's case the lack thereof. After the rape, she shut down. The visits from her grandparents or Ruriko did little to nothing. They'd ask question after question. Ruri hit the nail on the head, her voice rang in Meryn's mind.

_"Did he do something to you?"_  
_"No answer means he did."_  
_"Are you fucking kidding?"_

It was funny; Ruri sicked her brother and the small African community on him but it still wasn't enough. But, it helped leading up to the suicide that would spark a change within Meryn. She worked odd jobs during the summer after graduation. Originally, she wanted to spend the money on flying back to the states; but of course that changed, instead, a portion was spent on miscellaneous items and a single hotel room. The rest later went to helping with court fees and bail. All her life, she'd felt like the weakest link; her sister, the bullies, the failure to be a good normal grandchild or be a decent friend to the one that truly mattered, the hands of her cousins groping, the broken promise of her sister's boyfriend forcing himself on her, and the broken promise to herself that she'd never be helpless to anyone again. Meryn was unsure of what tipped the scale; the rape itself, or the failure to save someone from the same fate. But, that wasn't important. The only thing that mattered was going from prey to predator.

Everything else fell into place.  
  
The necessary tools were gathered, hotel room secured with a deadbolt, most important was successfully luring her prey.  
  
It was easy, she simple sought him out and promised what he always wanted. Herself.  
  
Three days had been planned out do whatever she wanted with him, and she intended to make the most of it.

 

**Day 1** : Dark mop-like hair draped over the eyes over her victim as he slowly came to. In a couple blinks, he seemed to realize the situation in which he found himself. Now conscious he tried to speak, his speech was murmured at the gag lodged in his mouth. Try as he might, he was unable to open his mouth, pain stung at the tugging of his lips. Getting his bearings he focused his eyes on the figure that became abundantly clear once he'd fully come to his senses. Meryn. Pain struck everywhere. Arms, wrists, feet, legs were bound by either zip-ties or thick leather belts. What he was bound to was a recliner, an otherwise comfortable one at that. But for some reason, he was naked.

Panicked eyes shot everywhere. When he tried to scream, it dawned on him why his mouth hurt the most. Mouth stapled shut and what felt like a cloth was wedged into his mouth. Inside the cloth, something was jutting out stabbing the roof of his mouth and tongue. No doubt to muffle the calls any calls for help. And there she was. Sitting comfortably across from him in a wooden chair was none other than who he proclaimed and insisted was the love of his life. She sat backward her legs split wide at the back of the chair, in her hand was a hammer loosely hanging in between her fingertips.

"You're awake."  
  
It all set in, muffled screams and pleas bombarding from his semi-permanent shut mouth. Tears welled up and he rocked from side to side frantically in pain.

"You're awake." She repeated, the hammer swung back in forth in her grasp in an almost playful manner. "Don't be rude...I'm talking to you." The look in her eyes was unfathomable to him. There was nothing, but at the same time with one glance it felt as if the world was closing in on him. Quietly she stood lifting her leg over the chair. Meryn took a step forward stopping directly in front of him. In the blink of an eye, her arm swung; the hammer bashing into his already pained mouth. Teeth cracked, his body flailing in shock at the sharp pain and warm liquid seeping through the staples. It was just the beginning and already he couldn't comprehend the horrid pain as it came. Cracking noises continued from his lips as he bit down at the strike. He jumped feeling no relief at all. Sharp edges drove into every bit of his enclosed gag. The taste of metal flooded his senses. Erratic, he grunted, howled, some of the staples loosening at the continuous tugging with every urge to scream.

"Swallow it," came sternly from above, next was the forceful hands that smashed his cheeks together angling his head to look into her dead eyes. "You owe me, just let me have this..."

Out of her pocket, a razor blade appeared to bring about more pain. Cut after cut on various parts of his body. At this, he seemed to wince the most. Weird, considering Meryn did it all the time. Being hit in the mouth with a hammer while your lips are stapled shut and a cloth full of rusty nails gags seemed to be the more painful occurrence. She didn't want to torture him for 3 days non-stop. After all, she was already beginning to feel bad, little cuts should have been welcomed but were instead met with more screaming. Disappointed, her mouth puckered; a foul sadistic grimace struck a nerve silencing him. Stunned, frozen in her breaking eyes, Meryn decided maybe this was enough for one day. Thinking on her feet, she figured maybe music would make him shut up for awhile. Panicked eyes watched her meander across the room. She knelt sifting through a stack of CDs before picking something at random. Some band she'd never paid attention to, Gorillaz(2001).

 

**Day 2:** He awoke underwater darting to the surface to gasp for air. Strange tastes and the familiar smell of urine in the air. Blinking through the confusion he took in the change of scenery. While he slept courtesy of being hit over the head, Meryn dragged his unconscious body to the bathroom. It took awhile dragging the dead weight of a full grown man that may as well be dead in the first place. Still, as a woman, it took a good amount of effort. At the edge of the top, she sat looking down at him with a near pitying expression. "Hey." Soft hands caressed his cheek," Sorry you took a swallow or two..." He sat in a tub of chilly water and bodily fluids; blood and he guessed was his own urine, a couple staples removed allowed the mixture to pass through his lips. "I didn't think you'd pee on yourself overnight." She continued wiping her hand of the filthy water straining his swollen cheeks. Wide-eyed he babbled through the binds of thick metal partially keeping his lips together,"Why are you doing this?!"

"Don't ask dumb questions." She snickered a little with her eyes rolling in the back of her head.

Grunting in distress, his voice echoed from tile to tile, the pissy water sloshing from side to side at his feeble attempts. Although low on energy, he was being quite noisy. Sighing, she decided to give him fair warning,"I undid some of the staples so you'd be able to drink. Are you going to make me regret that? If you continue to act like a child, I'll staple your mouth shut again." Every word that left her mouth was said nonchalantly or in a daze. His squirming slowed,"I-I'm sorry."  
  
That got a slight reaction.  
  
One arched eyebrow rose for a split second before lowering back to the bored expression she'd consistently had the entirety of his abduction.  
  
"That means nothing to me." 

Back against the tiled wall, her eyes became heavy, sleep wanting to take over. Slow blinks became totally closed for a moment before she willed herself awake. "I'll let you be by yourself for awhile O.K.?" Standing Meryn looked back,"Don't worry this won't be forever, but I'll try to make it feel that way. I promise." A cardboard smile was graced upon him as the lights flickered off, leaving him in the bathroom to sit and wallow in his own waste. The concept of time was lost on him, or so the psychologists said during the hearing. It was very much fathomable even in her current state. It took no time at all; a measly 30 minutes had passed. In that time she forced herself to eat something, not because she was hungry, but because she needed to be ready for anything. This opportunity wouldn't last forever; instant ramen was choked and gagged on as it went down. The sickening smell of blood, sweat, and urine in the air made it hard to swallow. 

At the last bite, he became restless. Light tapping on the wall went on for 2 minutes falling silent shortly after. Tapping was replaced with audible banging. Something in her snapped, her legs moved on their own bolting into the bathroom. She noted the look of terror on his face as her hand grabbed the back of his head,"If you want to be found, put more oomph into it!" His skull rammed it into the wall repeatedly, booming sounds echoed around the room. Her heart raced, adrenaline pumping through her veins at her might slamming him into the wall. His body went limp, his eyes rolled in the back of his head. His forehead dripped blood and his breathing was strangely sporadic. Dizzy he fell backward into the tub, air bubbles rising the to the surface. She felt nothing at all but wrenched his head above water to avoid the worst.  
  
"Don't go dying on me. You're almost done."  
  
Talking to his unconscious form was what scared Meryn the most about what she'd done. Passive aggression was all she thought she was capable of. With a heavy sigh, Meryn drained the tub of water not wanting to chance him drowning as she slept. As a precautionary method, cooking oil spray was applied to the tiled floor below. If he **did** try, she'd hear it no doubt.

 

**Day 3:** Meryn turned over to the alarm clock. She'd overslept, maybe he didn't try at all? Immediately she realized he had; opening the bathroom door the first thing she saw was his body splayed on the floor, blood smeared and tooth fragments scattered at her feet. Slightly amused, she grabbed hold of his pruned zip-tied arms gliding him into the common area, the cooking spray had made it a lot easier than before. His body was leaned against the recliner he was once bound to, his head fell back onto the leather giving her a good look at the damage done.The scabbing flesh looked infected, the remaining staples were surrounded by the raised purple skin as if it was decaying. Knots and lumps bulged from his forehead alongside the gashes where the skin broke. But still, Meryn wasn't impressed. Was this the best she could do? The empty shell of herself went on as planned cracking and whipping eggs into a fluffy mixture. Next was the rice cooker, 4 cups ready to cook. At the flick of the switch, she fixed her gaze back to the little trooper now awake wallowing about on the hardwood floor in tears.  
  
Head cocked, she spoke warmly grabbing his attention,"Are you hungry? Omurice is on the way!"

All the steps completed, she made herself a plate and sat down at the table; eating in silence staring off at the wall behind him. From the floor, his stomach growled. For some reason, this was hilarious. Meryn snorted in laughter, the first time she'd laughed or emoted at all in 3 days. Defensive and nervous he flinched, what about this situation was funny to her? As abrupt as it came all laughter ceased. A small smile crept from within,"It'll all be over soon." Her head motioned towards the remainder of food set on the stove,"You do like it right? And I guess for being a good boy I'll let you watch some T.V. too..." Chopsticks scrapped the pan laying the folded egg over a hefty serving of rice.  
  
"Ketchup or no ketchup?" Hair swung over her shoulder as she peeked over at his pathetic form wallowing on the floor.  
  
No answer.  
  
Shrugging she made the decision for him squeezing a heart-shaped ketchup outline atop the mound of food. In the same motion, she turned on the T.V. switching around until she found something of interest.  
  
"Do you like Gaki no Tsukai?"  
  
No response.  
  
Volume set about halfway, Meryn poured hot water into a small cup along with a bag of green tea. Everything was placed neatly on a serving tray. Quickly grabbing a spoon from the nearby drawer she approached him sliding onto the floor beside him. His entire body began to shake watching her movements and curled into a ball at her nearby presence. Flinging himself about unknowingly backing himself into a corner that offered no chance of helping him. A pout puckered her lips out taking petty offense to his attempt at protecting himself. At the tug of her lips into a slight sneer, her eyes went blank almost looking through him. Robotic in her movements, Meryn held the plate in her hands, tilting it all towards him. A scoop of rice and piping hot tamago was poured onto his naked body. On painful contact, his body flung in every direction thunking against the floor as he howled through the remainder of the staples. In another moment hot tea was ladled into his fused mouth. Violent shaking and drowned screams of bloody murder cut through the air. She was both horrified and amused, and his screams only made her sadism amplify.  
  
"Shut the fuck up and sit still."  
  
Brown eyes cold and uncaring, Meryn's hands darted forward at his pressing his cheeks with much force and his lips into a pucker. He yipped, with his mouth held open by her prying nails to shovel steaming hot food into his beet red swollen mouth. Tears rolled down his face and it began.

Fists went flying bashing into his mouth, each swing brought more blood gurgling from his orifice. Sobbing he fell over to his side, spittle and blood oozing from the open afflicted mouth. In the heat of the moment, she quickly jumped to her feet, all the disgust and contempt she held with had her foot rearing backward and sent forward with all her might kicking the bloodied hole in his face. Her body now moved on its own. Meryn recalled having few clear thoughts, all that there was, was rage. Her barefoot stepped down on his throat silencing the screams, his pulse thumped through the sole of her foot. His eyes bloodshot angry and food still gurgling from his orifice he daringly spat his words,"Fhuck yu bish!" A little surprised by the fight within him remaining, Meryn let out a deep sigh releasing him shuffling away beyond his line of sight from below. Gone for several minutes, he listened for her return. Turning towards the sound of footsteps he froze at the sight. Standing taut and deliciously curvy, Meryn was completely naked only wearing fire red heels, a carton of bleach and a knife in her hands.  
  
"I've wanted to ask you something since last year."  
  
Standing above him her womanhood was in view, she lowered herself atop him straddling him as she inquired again,"Well?" Terrified he blinked having no clue what to say. Thoughtfully, Meryn looked into his eyes searching for any humility or an inkling of regret. When nothing came but fear, she shook her head continuing on to elaborate,"It's happened before you, ya know? Three times now, and you're lucky number three. So why? Why'd you do it?" Deep in thought, she lifted the knife watching the way it mirrored the T.V. At the dart of her eyes turning her attention back to him cowering beneath her weight she said 'goodbye' to her former self doing one last semi-level headed thing. Her eyes softened a bit, looking to the man with pity as Meryn uttered heartfelt condolences, "I want to apologize; some of this isn't for you like I said, you aren't the only one...but you'll just have to bear with me. O.K.?"

The knife cut into his skin,"By the way, you didn't answer my question."  
  
Hissing at the tearing of his flesh, he murmured apology of his own,"I'hm shorry."

 

 

She offered a small smile. "Me too, I wish that was good enough but you've done more than use me. You couldn't stand to see me happy. I wanted to die then...but I couldn't," her arms rose to display the uncountable number of lines crossing his skin. "Do you see these?" Pointing to the accumulation on her forearms, thighs, ribcage, and neck; her head tilted trying to read his expression. Disturbed and under pressure he shuddered ruefully wrenching his eyes away. 

"Hmph, you're weak. I tore myself apart, you ruined me..." The knife dug deep into his legs sliding across to create matching wounds, slowly the edge reached his groin. Too close for comfort, he cried, babbling like an infant, his pathetic groveling meant nothing to her at this point. Head shaking she pressed on adding a warning,"I'm still waiting for that answer. Hurry up, I'm losing my patience."

"I DON GNOW!" Bits of egg continued to sputter out at his whining, cheeks pressed against the floor in agony of the unrelenting pain.

Lifelessly she spoke just above a whisper making sure he paid attention,"You've got me naked again, what are you thinking about this time?" Lightly the knife dragged up his body finding its way to his throat, his flinching did more damage than she intended in this particular stroke. The cut made far more jagged and less concise than she intended. Forcefully Meryn grabbed hold of his jaw with her clenching hand jerking his head to give her his undivided attention. Looming forward she bucked at him barking out her distaste,"I SAID I wouldn't kill you!" Desperation took over, caught in her wild eyes committing to memory the way a sickening wide smile cracked unnaturally across her face. Every muscle in her face tensed, the bridge of her nose crinkled scornfully. All control of her face became lost in an overwhelming tidal wave of sheer hellish anger and despair-inducing sorrow. Meryn had snapped.

"I just wanted you out of me. It doesn't leave me alone, you're here aLL THE FUCKING TIME!"  
  
Voice breaking her finger dove to his aching mouth prying the middle staple apart. The skin tore and snapped, pink bits of lip and bloody tissue burst at the release of a seam. Opening his mouth he screamed out warbled howls choking on the blood that rushed in and flooded his mouth. Opening his mouth was a mistake. Hyperventilating she yanked the container of bleach twisting the top open," Nothing helps. I wish I could dig it out of me or make it feel like its apart of me again. Nothing makes me clean!" Bleach poured out in a rush into and onto his aching mouth. Shrieking and wild throaty yelps filled the air, he threw himself frantically beneath her to be met with a sharp heavy handed crash of her fist onto his throat. Fully hysterical and lost to the madness that lived inside her voice ripped the sullied air apart with a harsh scathing hatred,"Don't RESIST ME, I SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU! I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE TO YOU AND CAN'T EVEN HANDLE YOUR PUNISHMENT?!" Fingernails tore wildly at his face, clawing and stabbing into his skin. The open wounds foaming at the mixture of chewed food, teeth, and blood upon contact with bleach. His cries were continuously met with more pain.  
  
"YOU'RE WEAK CAN'T YOU EVEN LET ME HAVE THIS?!", belted out in screeches between blows,"YOU SHOULD BE THANKING ME, IF I KILLED YOU I'D BE DOING THE WORLD A GODDAMN FAVOR!" Engulfed in fury, Meryn sliced away carving his face half giggling at the letters spelled clear on his face. "R-A-P-I-S-T," she spelled aloud chin up high, looking down her pupils narrowed admiring the finished work stretched across his sweaty spittle forehead.

 Hysterical crying from the grown man sounded more like helpless newborns, the room seemed to shake in his undeniable distress. Suddenly the knife left his face making its way down his chest, abdomen and stopping at the protruding erect genitalia. Brows raised, she couldn't believe what she saw.

"Even now?"

He panted, the remaining staples in the corners of his mouth becoming undone by his own struggling. Above, Meryn simply cried. The tears wouldn't stop flowing. Anguish became nothingness. Someone else looked down at him unyielding, focused. Her jaw flexed, audibly popping leaving her mouth agape in awe. A sinister grimace unnaturally wide took over contorting her pretty face into that of a demon. Pupils the size of a pin aimed, burning holes into his dwindling sanity. Completely petrified with just the look she gave, a long yellow stream shot out involuntarily wetting her bangs and trickling down her breasts, accumulating at her womanhood and flowing over his fidgeting sliced up thighs. Frozen, her breathing stopped. The girl atop of him never blinked, never once looking anywhere else but soullessly into his eyes. He couldn't help it; the twitch of his erection. Horrifying bloodthirsty eyes shot to the slight movement.

"P-Pweas Merwyn I--" his entire body jerked forward spitting blood onto her face at his last desperate attempt to reach the girl he used to know. "Don yu thenk I HATE MASELF? HWH? I KNOW WAT I DID!" His voice thundered cracking at the constant suffering; whooping he bawled, his face ugly and lips quivering in misery.

Her attention never left the protrusion. It was what violated her, changed her life. All the howling below fell on deaf ears. Underneath he swung his body like a madman drooling and writhing in his piss puddle. But all the wailing in the world wouldn't satisfy her. Knife in hand, Meryn's clenched fist squeezed the handle and slowly her mouth closed. Body relaxed, her weight shifted into a hunched posture. Police sirens sounded, heard from far away gradually getting closer. Hysterical relief flashed on his face.

"Looks like my time is almost up..."  
  
Lifting the knife once more, she put her strength into this one movement driving it down into the girth of his penis. The point tore through, crunching at the snapping of his manhood. In the instant he his head shot back slamming against the floor, his entire body flung and shook wildly as the final staples ripped apart at the remarkable blood-curdling roar. Pain expressed at full volume, agony erupted from his gut blood splattering across the floor. His lifeless eyes rolled into the back of his head, drool, blood, and regurgitated egg poured from his mouth. His useless organ now flaccid fell over like a raw hot dog at the swift removal of the blade. Tilting her head, Meryn was completely numb.

_Not enough_. The blood splattered blade dripped down her arms as her eyes judged him feeling nothing at all for the tormented waste lying limp before her. Sirens louder, she snapped back into her emotions. A manic almost carnal expression surfaced in a spontaneous idea,"It's my turn to be inside of you now." Her body swayed backward forcing his knees apart. Heels kicked off, they tumbled into view. They called to her, begging to be buried deep into his anal canal. Deranged and unhinged she grabbed it, lining the heel with his entrance. "If forgiveness is what you want, you can start by feeling what we felt...Think long and hard about what you did, about how your lack of self-control KILLED Satomi!" Shakily he lifted his head with the little strength he had. Meryn offered a soft pitying smile; the heel plunged, burrowing into the lining of his anus. His body bucked at the entry the edge scraping the fleshy walls as it dove within.

"Be happy, this guy is only 5 inches. Your 9 inches hurt much more." It was shoved in and out of him, her teeth gritted putting as much force into the motion as possible. "It was around this point you complimented me on being tight--" The push had him barreling backward arching up helpless., his pain sustained her but even she couldn't stomach what was happening. Haughty she sneered,"Don't worry I won't go on quite as long as you did." Taunting him she quickened the stabbing at his rectum, bright red blood dripped from her heel, the shoe shoved as far up as it could go.

"Remember how I wanted you to stop? How you shut me up putting your putrid dick down my throat?! Remember? I almost threw up and you told me to swallow it. You didn't even bother to pull out, you were PERFECTLY happy to get me pregnant!" Harder and faster the spiked heel tore him apart, he went limp long ago reduced to a sobbing mess. "You wormed your way inside me mashing your hand on my face. I couldn't breathe!"

Sirens were near, practically outside the building.

Tears streamed down her face,"You know the worst part? I can't defile you like you did to me--I could feel it coating my insides--" Her entire body heaved retching at the thought. Voice breaking she cried out for God to hear her,"Even when you were finally done with me I could still feel your presence. The alien feeling if something that doesn't belong living inside you..I can still feel it. I just want it to be out of me!" Her heart rate out of control, the taste of bile on her tongue, she couldn't stop shaking; the waste of a person below stared up devoid all life drained, incoherent mumbles and shivering. _I can't breathe._ Dread set in at the removal of the heel; her knees shook standing to her feet. Standing over him, Meryn broke into a cold sweat swallowing her tongue. Short of breath she staggered away from him backing into the wall furthest away from him.

Sharp knocks came at the door. Lightheaded she placed her head on the wall; panting out her stomach bubbled,"Come on in and call for back up."

* * *

 

Her eyes shot open free from the rank memory. Vision blurred and the faint thumping of something nearby echoed through her being. It was a just a dream but it seemed the sickening feeling felt so real for a reason. Holding her stomach, Meryn dry heaved running to the bathroom just barely making it to the toilet. Sour green bile burned her esophagus as the acid burst up from her empty stomach. She hadn't eaten today, there was nothing to come up in the first place. All that came with pure stomach acid, bright green it clouded the water. The worst of it was over, feverish and faint she rest her arm on the toilet seat just wanting it to stop. Drool dripped from her mouth long after the vomiting ensued. Breathing returning to normal, the sounds and sights around became clear. Angry with herself, she spat trying to remove the foul taste. 

_I'm so fucked up._

 


	10. Warped Desires

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter but full of pain and sex. But mostly pain.

2:00 P.M. December 10th, 2005  
  
  
Arriving back at Kong Studios long legs stretched out of the passenger seat after pulling up to the entrance. 2D slouched, his back in horrible posture. He'd been dragged from store to store, a slave to Amelia's schedule and finally he managed to get away. The constant complaining and whining played over and over in his head. Amelia on her own caused him to have relentless headaches. Holding his head, he dropped his arm to his side finally lifting himself up out of the car, being sure to grab the little bag he'd retrieved from the pharmacy he frequented at Meryn's request. Of course, completing the request after his time with Amelia. Bag in hand, the sound of pills clicked and clanked inside of their respective bottles. He hadn't minded since he had his own prescriptions to fill for the never-ending headaches 2D suffered since childhood. Reaching in, he quickly pocketed his own medication, leaving the two remaining bottles for Meryn. The last time he saw her was a couple days ago, after the lengthy one-sided conversation with Amelia over the phone, 2D made his way to Meryn's room. When he knocked, there was no answer but the sudden sound of stomping and coughing could be heard through the door. "Must be ill," he figured at the time. The only other contact was through the text she sent earlier today.  
  
Kat-Ryn @ 11:34 A.M.: Hey D, can you pick up my prescription for me? I haven't been able to leave my room.  
  
2D @ 11:37 A.M.: Yeah. Same pharmacy as mine right? I'll bring it to ya after I get back.  
  
Kat-Ryn @ 11:38 A.M.: Thank you!!  
  
During the car ride, he'd peeked at her prescriptions; neither of them were for any illness, or rather any physical illness. Slowly but surely he understood what they were for, but alas couldn't figure out why a mental illness would keep her from leaving her room. Dismissing it, 2D instead wondered if she would skip out on the Black Tie Event two days from now.  
The upcoming event had become a nuisance as soon as he invited Amelia to be his date. Every waking moment was her frantically looking for a dress. It wasn't a big deal to him, but Amelia insisted on looking perfect. Four long days of being asked opinion after opinion on colors, dress types, and whether she should wear something glittery or not, she had finally picked something.  A long cobalt blue tight fitting dress with a long split up the side. She looked good in it; but even if she didn't, he would've lied to her, if it meant she'd leave him alone.   
  
Impatient, the driver slammed the door shut tired of waiting for the space cadet to come to his senses. 2D flinched realizing he'd left the door open the whole time. Red-faced, he shrugged looking back at the driver apologetic. The gesture went unnoticed; dirt clouded at the swift take off of the car, little particles finding their way into 2D's eyes. Watching as it disappeared through squinted irritated eyes, he turned for the door welcoming himself home. Fists rubbed away at the swollen black holes, lethargy kicking in. After multiple blinks, his vision was no longer impaired. Sluggish and reluctant to do anything else but sleep for the remainder of the day, he slowly climbed the stairs to Meryn's room. He would just give her the prescription she asked him to pick up and be on his way. Exhausted, he leaned forward resting his head on her door. The knock that came from contact with her door would have to suffice at getting Meryn's attention. The knob slowly turned and abruptly pulled forward. The sudden movement sent 2D barreling forward, his noggin almost bouncing off of Meryn's who stood flabbergasted at his lack of coordination. At the last moment, 2D flung himself backward grabbing the door frame for balance. Face flushed, he rubbed his head,"Sowwy, I almost knicked ya wiff moi head there..." Everything he did was embarrassing, but Meryn never seemed to mind. Even when she'd almost been hit, the way she looked at him didn't change. She kindly smiled, shaking her head in disbelief of how he continuously got himself into painful situations,"You're going to get yourself killed."  
  
Meryn looked different; her eyes were tired, swollen even, the brown orbs focused on him looked almost cloudy. For a second, he eyed the rest of her; tight posture, her form seemed unnaturally slim contrary to body type he knew her to have. Curly strands of hair splayed on her forehead, the ends of the purple strands swirling off in different directions. Concern furrowed his brow,"Yew O.K.?" The subtly of her movements were never noticed by 2D until now. Her eyes changed at every blink; first focusing on him, then looking off to the side, then at the ground and finally back up to him. Her answer came in one shrug. He had no idea what to do, or if there was anything that could be done. Disquiet, 2D lifted the bag in his hand," Got yer stuff." Watching her closely, her eyes went to the bag and back to him. Shoulders relaxed a bit, Meryn reached out retrieving it.  
"Thanks."  
  
It was at this point, that 2D became aware of how difficult Meryn was. She was hard to read, hard to guess or reach. Especially when she avoided talking about what was clearly hindering her. 2D, on the other hand, was an open book; easy-going, talkative, bare for anyone to get to know. Unsure, and far too tired to put more effort into thinking, 2D dismissed himself. "Come find me if ya need me, I'm goin' t'moi room." A large yawn lined the end of his words. Meryn shifted,"O.K. I actually have to go to an appointment, Dr.Gaines has been begging me to come so...," awkwardly she paused shrugging at how garbled she was. She remained unable to find the words she was looking for and shrugged the attempt off entirely,"Thanks for picking this up D." A weak smile on her face she walked out of the doorway alongside him; immediately her expression changed, reflecting dismay and a dejected little frown. Instantly he knew why.  
  
"Stu, you didn't answer my calls." Amelia stood up straight as if she was trying to add to her height. Standing self-assured to their right, the blond announced her presence proudly; a tinge of shock flashed in her eyes once they laid on Meryn. "Oh." She sneered,"I should have known you'd be with her." Confused 2D looked back and forth between them,"Yew said yew din't wan' t'come back to Kong!" Frosty eyes shot him a questioning look,"I came because you weren't answering me," her glance shifted to the lofty girl beside her beau. "Besides, how long am I suppose to run away from her, you're supposed to confront a bully right?"  
  
"Later, D." Meryn lacked the patience or heart to put up with undisguised jabs or lies. Waving her hand, she walked off to the left towards the stairs ignoring the shocked and disappointed expression of the little nuisance. She didn't want to hurt Amelia, Meryn didn't want to hurt anyone, but when people pushed her too far she hurt everyone. After the relentless retching three days ago, she'd decided to ignore how frustrating Amelia was. In comparison to how she acted out sadistically on a rapist, Meryn had no desire to do anything remotely violent or unhealthy. Step by step down the staircase, Amelia fumed at the lack of response received. Even 2D had nothing to say in her defense. Jaw tensing, she startled him pushing him against the wall,"Don't you care that I could have been in danger?" Her once gullible 2D looked down to her, skepticism clear at the way his brow rose,"Yew weren't tho'."  
  
This was out of her control, and it tore Amelia apart. Stu Pot was supposed to be wrapped around her tiny finger; but yet here he was spending his time with a buxom and Junoesque felon that literally just arrived here by chance. Thin pink lips ticked into a mischievous smirk; at the roll of her blue eyes, 2D was shoved into the ajar door. He stumbled, nearly tripping over his feet in Meryn's room. It was his first time inside; looking around he spotted Japanese band posters and small stacks of video games, novels, CDs/DVDs in the corner on the floor. Clothes were piled up at the closet, not many things hung or organized. It was a girly less messy version of his own room; minus the keyboards.Yanking his attention to Amelia, he frowned suspiciously of why she pushed him in the first place. She was glowing with innocence no matter how fake it was, batting her eyes closing the door behind her. The light from the hall disappeared shrouding the room in darkness.  
  
Nervous 2D fidgeted in place,"Wot're yew doin'?" He blinked hard trying to adjust to the sudden darkness. The outline of Amelia's form appeared in front of him,"You."  
  
He understood; jumping backwards away from her, he marched off for the door, flicking the light switch to see her clearly. The room bathed in light for a brief moment before being shut off by Amelia who'd taken it upon herself to strip herself down in the process. She was quick, practically leaping up pulling him into a heated kiss. Wrenching himself away 2D backed himself away, his legs bumping against the bed-frame behind him. Knocked off balance, he collapsed onto the bed with a bounce. Climbing atop him, Amelia unfastened his jeans sliding her hand into his briefs grabbing hold of the growing erection that was tucked away. Suddenly, he sat up jerking his body away in a panic. Rolling off of the bed, he fell onto the floor, dropping on his tailbone. Teeth clenched, he winced in pain, a ringing sensation traveling up his spine. In another instant, he was pushed down his back on the floor, Amelia taking her rightful spot on top of him.   
  
"Get'off!" He scrambled about looking for a diversion or anything at all to make her stop. Too dark to see anything, 2D became frustrated grabbing hold of her arms pushing her forward for him to sit up. Pitiful whining ensued above him,"Come on! This is no different than what we always do!"  
Scoffs burst from his mouth,"Yeah but I'M NAWT DOIN' THIS IN 'ER ROOM!"  
  
Anger took over, sending her hands to dart at his throat," She DOESN'T matter!" The girl had lost her damn mind, he was stronger but couldn't will himself to actually hurt her. 2D let it happen. He was choked while she slid the jeans down low enough to release the now full erection. Lowered onto him, 2D reluctantly moaned at the sudden tightness holding him like a vise. Once fully sheathed inside, Amelia ground herself against him, returning her other hand to his throat. Squeezing as tight as she could, her nails dug into his skin, below he winced, hissing at the sharp pain. He couldn't see her well, just desperate icy eyes glaring down at him as she rocked back and forth trying to pull him over the edge.  
  
He didn't want this. All he wanted to do was rest. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he continued to hurt Meryn with his accommodating nature and inability to take charge. Jagged teeth bit down a moan at the feeling, the overwhelming sensation to fulfill his duty as a man was relentless. Here 2D was in the room of his friend whom he worried for, who had done nothing but be kind and accepting of him; being ridden by the out of control cold-hearted leech he called his girlfriend. Something inside willed him to do something about it. Without warning, his arms shot up harshly grasping Amelia's shoulders. In surprise, she let go of him. Taking in a big gulp of air, 2D sat up propelling her to the floor. Instinctively he took charge ramming himself into her repaying her with his own hands restricting her air flow. His hands easily constricted her throat, the sound of choking and squeals of pleasure filled the room. Hysteric weak laughter squeaked from her mouth letting him use her. She'd never known him to be angry or so much as hit anyone, 2D was as passive as can be. But now, he was nothing but aggressive. Tension in his eyes, he squeezed them shut muttering under his breath at the end of every thrust.   
  
"T's ol' yer fault--Ngh."  
He was getting close. Amelia drank it all in, smug and proud of herself she grinned taking all of him as he dove deeper into her. The pleasure was replaced by sharp pains in her neck. Panic rose once she realized she was no longer in control of the situation. It was starting to hurt in more ways than one. He was doing to her, what she had done to him. Jagged bitten nails dug into her delicate skin, pressing down on her throat with power. The closer he drew, the harder he squeezed. Amelia's choked out moans became fearful little mewls at the mercy of every harsh thrust buried into her womb. This was what she wanted. So why did she now wish he was out of her? What DID she want? She had no idea anymore. It hurt too much concentrate. She wouldn't stop him, her pride wouldn't allow it. She won after all. Amelia successfully got him to fuck her in the bedroom of a girl who was prettier, nicer, alluring, and...exciting...and...  
  
_And..._  
  
Eyes clenched shut, she would rather imagine an enjoyable sexual encounter. Begrudgingly the feelings of jealousy towards the girl who had done nothing at all to her evolved into something else. Deep down; she wished the one hurting her was Meryn. Recalling the valley of her breasts at her taller imposing stature, Amelia felt a spark. The way she leaned forward to be eye level with her, and how she was inches away from her mouth. She hated herself, for wishing Meryn had been just a bit closer to mash her full lips against the thin ones that secretly yearned for a woman's touch. With that, the pain became pleasure.  
  
2D was at the end of his rope. Rearing back, he shoved all of himself erratically inside biting his lower lip his breathing became shaky and his eyes clenched shut. Squeaky moans started from below; his hands relaxed not wanting to deny her of air entirely. Amelia gasped out the moans now full volume vibrating the air around them both. He'd never heard her like this before, so in love with the euphoria. A mix of emotions he couldn't comprehend surfaced; guilt, frustration, sadness, and confusion. It felt so good, but Amelia wasn't. She was toxic, she MADE him do this, made him jeopardize a friendship he'd truly appreciated. The face of his dear friend flashed into his mind. The kind welcoming smile between plump kissable lips, beachy plum hair, warm brown eyes, on sun-kissed skin. The eyes changed, mirroring the last expression he'd seen from her. Dismay. A warbled moan bellowed from within; promptly he pulled out releasing everything held inside up Amelia's stomach, scattered drops landed on her breasts, a few reaching her face.  
  
Mouth forming a perfect "O", she shuddered at the absence inside her. They were frozen there for a moment the world as they knew it changed. Cool droplets fell onto her face; wintry eyes flickered open to something else she'd never seen of Stu Pot. His lip quivered as the tears fell from his eyes. He couldn't see her, just a blurry silhouette peering up at him. After a moment he pulled away to his knees fixing his jeans and tucking himself away in his briefs. Silently, Amelia rose, the ghost hands around her neck could still be felt. Sniffles were heard from the shell of the man she'd been so desperate to keep. Suddenly he fell silent, wiping his eyes he held out his hand, "Put yer clo'ves back on..." Assisted by him, she stood watching him gather the discarded clothes she arrived in. He attempted to keep talking,"Are yew O.K.? Sowwy I 'urt yew 'Melia."  
  
Even now, after everything, HE was apologizing to her. She shook her head,"I'm fine." At that moment her voice almost broke, it was caught before she let herself be weak in front of him. She dressed in silence, she cared not that sperm would touch her clothing. No effort into making sure it was neat, Amelia just wanted to leave and headed for the door; 2D following behind. Turning the knob, light beamed into the room. Her heart stopped stricken at the form sitting on the floor. Legs crisscrossed over each other, Meryn sat with her back against the wall. Arms straight, her hands were placed in the space between her legs. Her head cocked at the opening of her own door; a big sigh exhaled as she stood to her feet, "I forgot my wallet."  
  
Mouth ajar, 2D wanted so badly to say something, anything but he'd already done enough. His mouth wrenched trembling; turning away he brushed past Amelia walking off down the hall. Meryn's gaze followed him; humiliated she looked elsewhere covering her mouth with her hand. Shaking her head, she refused to let this get to her. She had grown tired of crying; empty she stepped forward stopping in front of Amelia. Another deep sigh,"Please move." Obediently, the petite girl obliged stepping aside unable to look the girl she'd badly hurt in the eyes. The moment Meryn stepped inside, Amelia took off. She noticed but didn't care to stop her. Taking in the state of her room, not much had changed; the bed was a little unkempt but other than that nothing noticeable. If not for the sounds of moans and the smacking of skin contact, she'd have no way of knowing.  
  
Honestly, she would have preferred that outcome instead.


	11. Another Side, Another Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kingdom Hearts reference ehehe. No? O.K....

**2D P.O.V.**  
  
  
After everything unfolded the two of them had run. 2D ashamed and Amelia confused but afraid. She stood across from him shaking every so often trying to muster up something to say.  
  
"I'll see you at the...thing." She managed, before quickly pacing to the exit. Pain filled black holes watched in defeat at the girl's exit, red welts visible on her neck. Not only had he betrayed a friend, but he also questioned what happened to him in the midst of it all. 2D didn't know where the aggression came from, but he never wanted to experience it again. Shoulders low, he leaned onto the wall hating how things turned out. All he wanted to do was give Meryn her prescription and pass out in the comfort of his own room. Why did things keep turning out this way? It felt very much like all he'd done since her arrival was stand by and let her feelings get walked on. Pitiful; he sighed loudly drawing a blank on what he should do. Off to his side, he noticed a presence; caught completely off guard his back bounced off the wall, he stood defensively holding his arms up half expecting to be hit. But it never came; Noodle stood there brushing the bangs out of her face. "2D, what'd you do to our new housemate?" Guilt took over shrinking his form indefinitely. He held himself tight for a moment before attempting to stand tall,"Tis'...somefing yew'll get when yer oldah'."  
  
By the look on her face and the patronizing look in Noodle's eyes, he could tell it didn't work. With a heavy sigh, she rolled her emerald green eyes into the back of her head,"I know a thing or two." Immediate disgust tore across his face,"WHA'?!" 2D stammered shaking his head rejecting the idea entirely.  
The young girl smirked giggling, amused at the never-ending dopey tendencies of her blue-haired guardian. He was certainly the easiest to mess with. Noodle admitted, it was fun to bother him from time to time; even in the case that she was bluffing.   
"Noodle yew 'aven't uh--?" He continued to inquire.  
"Haven't what?"  
"Y-Yew know..."  
"This isn't about me; there were a lot of noises down the hall a little while ago." Looking off to the side, she shuddered knowing well what caused the sounds in the first place. Embarrassed, 2D's face went bright red,"Well tha's..." He trailed off covering his mouth looking up at the ceiling, anywhere but at the young girl's face.  
"Any reason why?" She jumped into his view bouncing off her feet. The height difference wouldn't keep her from grilling the man for answers. It seemed there was no way out of this, but he'd try even if it ended with him worse off. After a long period of silence, 2D bolted past her towards the exit. He tripped over his feet sending him flying face first into the door. Noodle didn't move from where she stood, she need only wait for him to cause more harm to himself trying to get away. It came sooner than she expected with the loud thwack of his face smacking onto the heavy door. Sighing, her eyes watched as the man slid onto the floor,"Even if you were to get away, you'd have to come back at sometime 2D."  
  
"I'll leg it sumwhere else then!" Came muffled from the door. But of course to no avail, where WOULD he go that Murdoc couldn't find him and inevitably drag him back to Kong? Hissing 2D scrunched his face holding his nose in pain,"AAAaHHhh tha' flippin' 'urt!" Wriggling it around, his nose popped after a moment, the uncomfortable knotted feeling disappearing at the sound. Rearing his eyes to focus, Noodle now stood directly in front of him. She knelt, eventually plopping to the floor beside him,"You're a special kind of idiot."  
"Yeah yeah--Tell me somefing I don' know." Knees up he held them close to his chest resting his head against them; head turned to the side his double vision went away focusing on the not so little girl he unboxed years ago. "I kinda did a bad fing...", he started, holding himself tighter.  
  
Often times when things went wrong, 2D would sit by himself in fetal position until the trouble or pain went away; like a security blanket for a passive 27-year-old man. The second best coping mechanism was a delicious cigarette, or two or three...or an entire carton from time to time.   
  
From the years Noodle had spent with her band members; she gathered many things about the three of them. Murdoc was over the top, bold, mischievous with little regard for anyone else's safety but his own. Russel was the voice of reason, a large strong man that knocked sense into people (i.e. Murdoc) when out of line. And then there was 2D; the airhead with a heart of gold who was almost child-like in how thoughtless he could be. The three of them were more or less her father figures. She went back in forth in her head on whether 2D was more of a father or a brother. One thing she did know, in the short time Meryn had lived with them, she bonded with her on a level that none of her guardians ever could. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that Meryn was fluent in Japanese or the same sex as her, but she had grown somewhat attached. Living with three men was never a hassle for Noodle, but the presence of another female was more than welcomed.   
  
Lips pursed, Noodle spoke out,"That girl that you're with is trouble. I'm sure even you know that." Shooting him a glare; she pointed her index finger darting it to his left darkened eye, stopping just before she poked the surface. Flinching he stared at the tip of her finger, noticing how calloused the tip was from the harsh guitar playing of numerous shows and tracks they'd all made and performed together. He sat there blinking; mouth ajar, startled by her sudden movement. "You DO know that right?" She pushed for a response.  
Quietly 2D bobbed his head up in down biting his lower lip as if being scolded for naughty behavior,"I know tha'...But she wazn't ol'ways loike tha'..."  
  
Black hair flung about at the rapid shaking of Noodle's head. Once she finally stopped, it regained its messy eye shrouding style. He couldn't see her eyes, but he guessed what they were full of. Skepticism. 2D was well aware that none of his mates liked Amelia in the slightest. The first time he introduced everyone, chaos ensued after Murdoc tried to push himself on Amelia. It ended with her back slapping him and claiming he tried to rape her.  
  
He had been there at the time; in 2D's opinion, Murdoc's flirting had been rather tame considering everything else he'd done to his female guests. All he'd done was corner her and whisper something he couldn't quite make out into Amelia's ear. Seconds later, Murdoc was flung at the wall and Amelia was screaming, 'Rape.' No matter how much he wanted to think of Amelia as harmless, 2D admitted she could over exaggerate things and try to use being a victim to her advantage.   
  
Still, he knew Amelia better than the rest of them. Deep down; she was considerate, friendly, and level-headed. At least she had been until she broke up with him. Now thinking about it; it did seem odd how drastic the changes were. She could be mean, but he never knew her to be THIS bad. More negative thoughts; in retrospect, he didn't really know her all that well, they only dated for a little over a month. Like the rest of 2D's relationships, things moved fast and ended soon after.  
  
_Snap._  
  
_Snap. Snap._  
  
"2D." Noodle snapped her fingers grabbing hold of his attention. She sighed,"I'm going to ask you something. Ready?"  
Puzzled, he nodded unsure of what she was getting at.  
  
"Do you like Meryn?"  
  
He sprung where he sat, the azure hairs on his arms stuck upright at his stiffened posture. Wide-eyed and with a constipated expression on his face he babbled,"PFffffthhh w-well yeah she's moi frand."  
"Then why would you respond like that?" Noodle perked up smiling questioningly. "Coz its random TOO RANDOM!" He'd become defensive shrinking back into a ball. She stared at him; then suddenly sprung to her feet,"I'm going to tell her!" She gave him no time to register the threat sprinting down the hall with impressive speed.  
  
"NO! NONONONO!" Jerking to attention, 2D wavered falling over in a ball. Wildly his arms and legs flung out, first crawling, then running after her. Noodle was quick, gliding from step to step looking back mockingly at the slow less graceful 2D wildly chasing after her. His continued effort was priceless; 2D's already smashed face bashing from wall to wall at every turn of the staircase, reaching out to grab Noodle but failing every time getting a face full of concrete wall. It didn't matter, he was desperate to catch her before she made the situation more difficult. At the top of the stairs, he sprinted after Noodle into Meryn's room. To his delight, she was nowhere to be found  
  
"Oh 'fank God...she's not 'ere." A huge sigh of relief sent his head backward, blue hair flung followed by the smoothing over of his digits. Staring at the ceiling he felt lucky for the first time that day. Blissfully unaware of an object being thrown at him, it landed directly on his face covering his eyes. It was strangely warm and a soft kind of fabric. Pulling it off, his eyes grew to the size of saucers once he'd recognized the object for a bra. Gasping he froze staring at it in hand; a plaid push-up bra, cup side up. He hadn't meant to see the size but...  
  
"BAPS ARE' FLIPPIN' KUGE!!"   
  
2D had no idea what 34DD meant but it seemed like a good size the cups roughly the size of his palms. He rapidly shook his head, pushing away curious thoughts and looking around for Noodle. He found her, but only after she'd slammed the door shut marooning him. Mouth wide open he panicked dropping the undergarment and immediately trying for the door. No matter how he tried it wouldn't budge. "AW COME ONNN NEWDLE!"  
  
"BE A MAN, DEAL WITH IT!" Came shouted from the other side along with mocking high pitched laughter,"YOU CAN DO IT!"  
  
"NO! I CAN'T!" With all his might he pulled on the knob; in a split second, he flew across the room onto the bad. Frustrated he glared getting his bearings. Noodle had let go and let physics take care of the rest. Only offering a thumbs up, she slammed the door again.

* * *

 **Meryn P.O.V.**  
  
Meryn stood immobile long after the two had left her room. Somehow she was so angry, that it became sadness instead. Part of her wanted to grab Amelia's face and smash it into the nearest wall, another part wanted to jack-slap 2D square in the mouth. Fist clenched; she vibrated finding it hard to calm herself. Initially; she planned to burst in, make a huge scene beating the shit out of them both. Somewhere in the plan, she would have made it a point to literally kick 2D's bony ass out of her room and possibly her life. But even in the midst of fuming; Meryn wanted to believe there was a reason as to the looks both of them gave her.   
  
What had truly prevented Amelia's face from irreparable damage was the look of shame clear on her face. It was the first time since Meryn had been plagued by the impish nagging pipsqueak that she'd actually emoted something other than mean-spirited smirks and sneers. This time, her eyes were wide and puffy; as if she may cry at any moment. It also had to do with shock. Truthfully, Meryn had been sitting there for awhile. Truly, she had forgotten her wallet; but when she came back to her room, the door was shut. Leaning in she listened recognizing the obvious cockney accent of 2D. What really shocked her was the noises that followed after. Panting, moaning, and then eerie shrill squeaks. The entire time she sniffled, voice hiccing, and trembling; enraged and alone. So many things inside her told her to make a fuss, break something, yell, scream, anything. But nothing ever came.  
  
Eventually standing around a pungent smell wafted into her nostrils. She snarled in disgust,"It smells like sperm in here." Really, truly she wanted to give 2D the benefit of the doubt but, he'd defiled something of hers before. Meryn began to wonder if he was just a voyeur or a sexual deviant; either way, it wasn't appreciated. Even though the appointment with Dr.Gaines was now needed after the events that unfolded, she didn't want to go anywhere, talk to anyone, or do anything. It was decided, Meryn would lock herself in her room the rest of the day. Possibly the rest of the week because ' _why the fuck not?'_  
  
  
In a hurry, her shoes were kicked across the room. Without taking off her hoodie the bra that restrained her was removed and thrown to the floor. Jeans were replaced with yoga pants snug on her legs. The ideal comfortable outfit for wallowing. She looked herself in the mirror, turning around to view different angles. Even if she was giving up, for the time being, Meryn wouldn't tolerate another insult from Murdoc on her casual wear recalling how his first impression of her went. Eyelids lowered, she shrugged deeming it good enough. Swallowing, Meryn headed for the door.  
  
Turning the knob, her head peeked out looking in both directions down the hall; the coast was clear. Head held up high she made her way down the stairs to forage for food like the cowardly rodent she was being. In the kitchen she grabbed a couple things; bags of chips, a bottle of Hennessey, Coca-Cola. In the corner, an instrument leaned against the wall. The banjo caught her eye.   
  
_His banjo is STILL in here?_  
  
2D had left it there a couple days ago before he went out Amelia on a day-long shopping spree. Head turned Meryn stared daggers at the instrument; the rest of her body pivoted setting down the junk gathered for her room. One moment, she was standing in front of it, in the next, it was flung across the kitchen slamming into the wall. Loud untuned strings tore from their binds, wooden shards and splinters flying off at impact. The banjo fell to the floor with a laughable tune. Head tilted; she listened for any approaching footsteps, but no one came. Shrugging; she gathered the junk food tucking some under her arms and others held tightly in her hands. On her exit; Meryn held herself high, stomping the banjo as she passed in the same motion.  
  
One foot on the stairs, the sound of clanking and power tools whirring rang in her ears. Stepping down, she became curious. Plum hair flung from side to side peering in each nearby room coming up empty time after time until finally, she found something. A blindingly white room and a weird creature smack in the middle of the floor. Her nose wrinkled unable to process what she was looking at. Some kind of hog? And mechanical protrusions from its body. The bright light dimmed suddenly allowing her eyes to adjust.   
  
"What's up?"  
  
Russel sat hunched over near the corner of the room on a rolling stool his large finger on the light switch. Slowly he turned around eyeing everything in Meryn's grasp. "What's all that for?"  
  
She teetered back and forth mouth slanted whining incoherently avoiding his white stare. Russel rose an eyebrow setting the tools onto the floor. "Haven't seen ya in couple days."  
"I didn't really want to be seen..." Shrugging she tried to act natural but it went unsuccessful under the observations of the chalky eyed man. He frowned looking away at the floor,"Yeah I can respect that." Somber he turned back to his work,"But uh you shouldn't drink too much of that with junk food in ya gut." Of all the band members, Meryn had spoken to Russel the least. The man was more to himself than she was; but when she did see or talk with him he reminded her of her brother, Sol. Strong, protective, down to earth and concerned with the well-being of others. He was right, if she drank on an otherwise empty stomach Meryn would be paying dearly in the morning, even with chips. She missed Sol; often times she wondered what he'd think of her temporary home and the housemates that came with it. Most likely, he wouldn't have approved especially with someone like Murdoc around. Her feet moved on their own at the thought approaching the hulking man from behind. Closer she had a better view of the masterpiece he was in the middle of crafting.   
  
"Taxidermy?" Setting the junk food aside against the wall, she drew forward examining it from a safe distance, afraid of breaking his concentration. He turned halfway gracing her with a smile,"Yeah. It's somethin' I do when I have the time. Not scared are ya?"  
"Nahhh. It takes a lot to freak me out, buuuut I didn't expect to see a warthog with you in here." At her droll reply, Russel swiveled around fully to face her with an earnest pearly white smile," Had this beast for 2 years, thought I'd get to workin' on it again." Such a friendly smile made him look more like a teddy bear than a mysterious giant; the apron he wore barely fit, the ties stuffed into his pockets rather than tied around his entire body.  A bit interested, she wondered what a petrified animal felt like to touch,"What does it feel like? Is...that a weird question?"   
"Nah, its a pretty common one. Go ahead see for yourself if you want." Rolling himself backward, Russel folded his arms waiting intently for her reaction In a few steps, she leaned over the display gently placing the palm of her hand onto the deceased animal's back. "Don't worry bout messin' it up or somethin' like that, it's sturdy." He advised from the side. Grazing her fingers over the skin it was cold and dried out, slowly she turned her head to face him,"Can I ask why you put side mirrors on it?" Low rumbling laughter followed,"Just craftin' whatever comes to mind." Meryn stood up straight,"An artist in more ways than one hmmmm?" He lowered his head, pensive something else on his mind,"Nah, just a hobby." His bottom lip curled contemplating, pondering how to convey something he'd been thinking to himself for a week or so.  
  
"Something on your mind?"  
  
 Meryn spoke up before he could, warranting a bellowing chuckle,"That's what I was gonna ask." Straightening his face, he became serious leaning forward he hunched over placing his elbow on his knees; bridging his fingers he rested his chin on top,"A little while ago D ran by rattled bout' somethin', I don't know what though he's always yammerin' about random crap'..." Studying her expressions carefully he tried to guess what happened. The sudden look of contempt surfaced on her features; lips tightened, arms folded, and a dismissive but clearly bothered look in hurt umber eyes. Concerned but respecting of her boundaries he dug a little further,"Somethin' to do with that girl D's with?" Detached for a split second, Meryn wanted to end the conversation. However; Russ was just checking in on her, he himself didn't deserve the attitude so desperately wanting to be blurted out, nor was it for him at all. On her exhale she put forth a lukewarm response,"It always does..."  
  
"Hmph that's what I thought. The girls always seemed a little off...One of the stranger girls D brought back to Kong." Russel shook his head,"Somethin' ain't right." His shoulders rolled ending the questioning period,"Just don't kill the girl aight?"  
"Heh... that all depends on her." In that instance, she regretted saying that. Palming her forehead, Meryn groaned,"I'll try not to, I don't want to scare anyone off." He swiveled back to his work hammering something else onto the hog,"Well...you ain't scary to me."  
  
It was...refreshing not being feared. Of course, Russel being a burly brolic man, he had no reason to be on guard. "That's nice to know Russ."  
"You say that like everyone else is." He needn't turn around to know what she meant by that,"Noodle can defend herself she's not just some little girl, Murdoc always find ways to get himself jacked up but he always turns out fine, and D...Well, he's sturdy. He's always gettin' beat up or pushed around and he always bounces back. Really; he COULD use an influence like you around, Maybe he'd get his ass kicked less often." Quaking on the little stool, Russel turned to flash her a grin,"Whatever he did, D's too slow to dopey to hurt someone on purpose. I won't keep pressin' you bout it, but you'll be back to crushin' on him in no time."  
  
Meryn opened her mouth to deny, but nothing happened. Watching her stand there with her mouth wide open, Russel pointed to the bag of chips placed on the floor,"Pass em' to me and get yourself something heavier if you're gonna drink that." Finally unfrozen, she grabbed the bag handing it over; slowly she nodded her head cracking a smile after some time,"Russ, you read me like a book." For some reason, talking to him put a little pep in her step; in the kitchen once more she was taking Russel's advice. Opening the fridge in search of something with more sustenance, she landed on the Chinese takeout from a couple days ago Stu written across it in pen.   
  
_Should I?_  
  
_...I'm doing it anyway._  
  
Noodles poured out of the box onto a paper plate. Popped into the microwave, Meryn waited 1 minute hypnotized by the spinning plate. From upstairs a door slammed so loudly it shook the walls. She wondered but didn't care enough to go check it out. In the corner of her eye, she noticed the pieces of banjo shaking at the ruckus above. Gradually she walked over picking up the pieces and discarding them, examining the larger pieces she felt...bad.  _It's ruined..._ She would have to buy 2D another one.  
  
Another thundering door slam from upstairs shook everything once again.  
  
_The hell?_  
  
The microwave came to a stop beeping 3 times announcing the preparation of stolen chow mein. Eyes grazed across the broken fingerboard making a mental note of the Fender brand name at the top. It would take awhile but she'd pay him back eventually. Thought pushed aside, Meryn took out the plate grabbing a fork in the same motion. Quickly she poured the Hennessy into a tall glass halfway, the other half filled with Coke and topped off with ice. Taking a sip off the top she headed back upstairs balancing everything and carefully taking her time step by step. At the top of the stairs, her eyes immediately fell on Noodle in front of her bedroom door holding it shut. "Um...?" Meryn started taking a couple steps towards her bedroom door. Noodle's head swung back a big cheeky grin on her face,"THERE you are! It's all yours now!" Giggling she let go of the knob skipping off to her own room slamming the door shut. They say when one door closes another one opens and that's exactly what happened; the moment Noodle's door closed, Meryn's own room opened. It burst open, the door flinging back into her room. Peering in, her gaze was met by stricken obsidian spheres and a rueful hangdog expression.  
  
"Hey Kat!" 2D belted out not expecting her to be there. Like a deer in headlights, he could do nothing but stare dumbfounded struggling to process the impending doom. His hand flew to the back of his head, chest puffed out awkwardly he exhaled. "Where'd N-Noodle go--I mean--Uh um...could we talk maybe?


	12. Boundaries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one, the next will be longer.

"Could we...talk maybe?" The lanky man's frame shrank, his entire body minimizing expecting the worst. He winced holding his arms close to his face nervous and preparing himself for the flying of hands and possible tackle to the ground. Through his fingers, 2D could see the stony look plastered on Meryn's face. She hadn't moved an inch. Slowly, he dropped his guard lowering his stance; flicking his gaze to her hands he noticed the familiar cuisine he'd brought home a couple days ago.  
  
"Um.....is tha' moi--," 2D hesitantly asked, pausing at the immediate motion that followed. With no free arms, she boldly took a large bite practically face planting onto the paper plate, slurping the noodles loudly into her mouth. The sauce splattered at the entrance of her lips, a couple flecks flying at 2D landing onto his own face. Blinking while she chewed, Meryn brushed past; sending a chill up his spine. Within a moment she situated herself on the floor placing the plate or his leftovers in front of her along with the tall glass of what he thought to be some kind of Cola. He'd turned his body to face her, uneasily holding his wrist behind his back. Head lowered and frozen in place, 2D wasn't sure where to start. She hadn't kicked him out, so if there was any time at all, there was no time like the present moment. Slurping and sipping took up the silence; Meryn looking straight forward ignoring his presence. Part of her wanted to be mature and speak to him straight, but her pride wouldn't allow it. If 2D wanted to talk to her, he'd have to work for it.  
  
But to no avail; neither of them would speak. He had to have been standing there downcast for minutes saying and doing nothing. She rolled her eyes loudly letting out a gruff sigh and groan, "What D?" Twitching, his head pivoted to confront the girl," Can I sit?"  
  
"I don't know can you?" Coldly spat out at the drop of the plate to the carpet below. Inelegant and as awkward as ever; 2D carefully stepped closer, but not too close. He more toppled over than sat down near her. "Wuld it 'elp if yew yelled at me?" His bony form hunched forward twiddling his long fingers. "You want me to yell at you?" Finally, she looked in his direction; taking a quick sip of her concoction. After a moment she placed it on the floor, staring up at the ceiling lips puckered at the taste and contemplating. Coming to a conclusion, Meryn darted her eyes at the man, staring so hard it felt like she was peering into his soul.   
  
"I should have beat your gangly bumbling idiot ass a little while ago, but I won't." With a side eye, she ended "yelling" immediately returning to the drink. Gulp after gulp she'd reached the half-way point just then beginning to feel the effects of the liquor. He blinked taken back and somewhat perturbed with a dumb scrambled look on his face," Kay...guess I deserve tha'..." She was intimidating when upset; there was a larger thicker wall than usual keeping him at bay. His confession was followed up with a smirk from Meryn, but within seconds it all but melted away returning to the distant aloof attitude from before.  
  
"I wanna apologize if yew'll let me..." 2D tried to get to the point. His wide dark eyes pointed at her hopeful. Her own teetered over to the garment on the floor in a different spot than she remembered,"Were you touching my bra before I got here?" Put on the spot once again, 2D bit down hard on his lower lip the crooked teeth visible peeking out; jittery and deprived of the little confidence he had just a moment ago,"N-No tha's not--I mean--Well fuck me then I'm jus gon' look bad n'matter wha!" He facepalmed  the rest of the odd teeth in view at the ajar wincing frown he sported. Large hands dragged down his face, taking his eyelids and lips with them,"I don' know wot t'say Kat--Awready feel like a Grade A arsehole f'wot 'appened...."  
  
"How about 'sorry'?" Meryn plainly suggested resting her head in hand. Fidgeting in place he'd wavered shaking his head,"Not tryna say somefing t'keep yew sweet f'awhile--NOT THA' I'M NOT SORRY! I AM! But sayin' it jus sounds loike a piss poor attempt of gettin' back in yer good graces. Which I wan' t'do but jus 'sorry' won't do it! I wanted t' fink bout it yeah? But Noodle got me trapped in 'ere so I din't get t'fink proper-So tha's why I sound loike a sodding tossa and nuffing makes any sense anymo'!" He yammered on like that for what felt like hours rocking back and forth anxiously. His expression was more frustrated now than anything else; Meryn watched quietly as he tried to make sense of his thoughts somewhat amused. Hands slammed down to his knees swinging his head to look her in the eye, he drew closer eyes softening and mouth down turned ,"Wot I'm tryna say is I wanna sort it s'we can go back to tha' way it was b'fore." Sincerity gleamed in his black marble eyes,"I din't mean f' tha' stuff t'appen...it just did! Yew believe me???"  
  
She squinted wanting to reject it entirely, a long drawn out sigh clasping her hand over her face. Peeking through her fingers, he was genuinely trying to make things right. Meryn kicked herself for her empathy, patting her face reluctant to forgive him. "Why is that you always have to jizz on my stuff?" Meryn blurted out allowing her petty side to be its passive aggressive self. He was flabbergasted wriggling,"I-I don! I mean I did tha' one time-But tha' was a accident!" Before he could continue rambling she cut him off with another complaint,"It's been me these two instances! Do you and your cum slut just like doing it on my stuff? Or do you secretly want me involved in your sexcapades?!"   
  
"N-No! It's not loike tha'--NOT THA' YEW AIN'T APPEALIN' OR ANYFING! I'M JUS SAYIN' NONEOF THIS WAS ON PURPOSE I SWEAR!" 2D shook, his nerves getting the best of him. Meryn knew he was more than likely telling the truth. With everything she knew about him, it was impossible for him to do any of this for the sole purpose of hurting her. Still; tipsy and fed-up, she couldn't let this go. Not without some sort of payback. The rational side of her said no, but the spiteful drunken side said yes.  
  
Pushing the plate aside, Meryn leaned forward into a crawl stopping inches from his face,"Are you saying I'm appealing? Then why didn't you take me instead?" A coquettish cocky grin pulled the corners of her mouth, both hands placed on 2D's crossed legs for balance she brought her body closer. This close to the lead singer, Meryn could see his eyes cross even though the immense darkness of his blood filled eyes, focusing on her mouth and being brought back up to be hopelessly caught in the earthy tones of her eyes.  
 Gulping, he leaned backward uncomfortable and strangely aroused. His movement was a mistake, only allowing himself to be pinned to the carpet. "Awww." She cooed above pushing her pooling hair behind her ears, the glint in her eye was inescapable; 2D saw himself reflected clearly the closer Meryn got. Smug and pleased with herself she flattened herself out on top of him pressing her body to his. The weight of her body settled against him; soft and ample breasts mashed to the quickened rising and falling of his breaths. 2D's heart exploded in his chest, the palpitation emitted a thump that even Meryn could feel. He had been stunned into silence, the only thing mustered was a baffled drone. She cackled brushing her lips against his, the ends of her hair tickling his skin, "How bad do you want me right now D?"  
  
Instant boner; hard against her lower half. That's as far as she would take it, in a breath she lifted herself off of him leaving him laying there in shock on the floor. She resumed drinking the rest of the glass nonchalantly sitting on her knees. Bewildered, he sat up first confused then embarrassed covering the tent in his pants. Meryn eyed him bouncing mid-laugh,"You're so easy D." Having realized it wasn't his birthday, after all, 2D pouted,"Tha' was mean Kat." She shrugged, playfully sticking out her tongue,"If I did anything further I'd be rewarding bad behavior."  
"Wha' am I a dog?!" He complained trying to will the erection away.   
  
"You said it, not me~"  
  
Oh, she was an asshole; 2D engraved this moment into his memory noting that while being a kind and valued friend, Meryn was also a crafty bird who had many ways of getting revenge. The only reason he never came onto her, was because she never threw herself at him. 2D was used to getting laid just because of who he is. He didn't have to try much, women just flocked to him; just one of the many perks that came with being a lead singer in a successful band. Everything Meryn did was completely platonic. That is, until now. Even though he knew she'd done this to get a rise out of him, it certainly allowed him to think of her differently and to traverse the sinful thoughts he wouldn't give into before.  
  
"I'm not mad at you anymore."  
  
Her sudden proclamation brought 2D out of his curious trance. She grinned,"Like I said, you're just easy." A frown followed her words,"Whaddya mean by tha'? Yew calling me a slag or somefink?" Head shaking from side to side, Meryn's hair flung back and forth slapping her in the face,"No. I just meant you're easy to start. Let me guess, Amelia backed you in here and banged you to piss me off?" He blinked,"Y-yeah basically..." Hand flicking the spikes at the top of his head he mumbled,"Din't wan' to but.."  
  
"It's fine. I guess, just don't do it again." She became serious tilting her head forward,"I'll be honest with you D. It really hurt when I heard you both..please have respect for my things and my space when you're uh..erm...in the middle of it." She still looked quite hurt despite hardening her face, 2D truly was sorry; he nodded hanging his head in shame,"I really am sorry Kat." After a small silence, she responded,"I know."  
  
Scratching her head she turned her head apologetic and embarrassed,"I may have...also done a bad thing D." Head tilted he rose an eyebrow,"Moi food?" Her head bobbed about wishy-washy and avoidant of finishing the statement,"That and your banjo...maybe?"  
"Oh. Yeah..thought I 'eard some bum notes..." 2D laughed it off with little effort to her surprise. "But," he continued,"I was so in moi head yeah? I guessed I must've imagined it."  
With a heavy sigh he removed his hands from the now calmed manhood in his jeans,"Sooo we're loike...sorted now rioght?" Meryn brought her knees to her chest,"Yeah. I'll um buy you another banjo once I've got the money."   
  
"Yew don' haf'to love, I could ol'ways get anotha."   
She rocked back and sprung forward,"NOOOOOE!" The hissing surprised him, he jerked backward in shock almost bursting out into a hearty laugh,"Y-Yer proper weird Kat." She chuckled, tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth she made a silly face,"Yeaaaah. I know." Meryn shrugged as she casually leaned back with a smile proud of that fact,"The event's in 2 days, I'm looking forward to seeing you in a tie." A thick blocky brow rose at her words.  
   
2D made himself comfortable, watching her out the side of his eyes,"Yeah? How come?"   
  
"Because you're a pretty boy front man", she replied flatly as if the answer was obvious.  
  
"Ahhhh I get ya!", 2D nodded grinning wide with a suspicious look on his face. "Yew fink I'M pretty!" he shouted pointing his extended finger at Meryn.  
  
_Yes._  
  
"Nope."   
  
Lying through her teeth, she looked away. Just because she managed to turn him on didn't make him any less taken. And although they'd fixed the rift in their friendship, it was just that. Friendship. Any halfway decent looking girl could potentially tease a male friend. Besides, if 2D had liked her, it would have been known by now. He was easy to read. Meryn was not; at least not to 2D. Saddened by her simple reply he tried to shrug it off. Chest puffed up, he boasted as convincing as he could,"I'm VERY pretty I'll 'ave yew know!" She simply rolled her eyes looking off in the opposite direction. 2D couldn't help but be disappointed, inwardly, he wished perhaps Meryn was the one he'd called his girlfriend. She was a girl, and his friend; her teasing only then made this question run heavier on his heavily medicated mind. Looking at her, he began to wonder why on earth was he with Amelia, to begin with. The petite girl was off and brought misfortune to him recently. Yet here was a fresh, new young woman that consistently piqued his interest. The exact opposite of Amelia, Meryn was tall and shapely. She looked a lot like a model, now that he'd eyed her up thoroughly. A small snaggletoothed smile worked its way onto his face, perhaps after the gala, 2D would rethink who he would rather spend time with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	13. Black Tie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the end for 2D and Amelia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goddamn it gotta add another tag. Slight smut.

In the months she’d stayed with Gorillaz, many things, strange things had happened. From the occasional haunting of Kong Studios; to the nonstop drama between bandmates. Two band mates in particular. The experience so far was definitely one Meryn would remember; both fondly and uneasily. Murdoc and 2D fought too many times to keep track of. Every fight was more Murdoc than 2D, who usually sat cowering or taking in the barrage of insults being spat at him from the odd-looking bassist. Today, however, things were pretty calm. The event that no one really cared about, all but 2D's bothersome girlfriend, was a black tie occasion. Instead of the usual yelling to wake her in the morning, she was woken by a light knock on her door.  
  
"Um—” , came meekly from the other side.  
“Yeah D?” Meryn answered plainly, knowing well who it was. She lifted herself up from bed meandering over to the door. The door swung open startling the black-eyed man staring back at her. His face, how could she not smile at his expressions. “J-Jus a reminder, we ‘ave tha' fing later on today…if you din’t already know I mean.” “I remembered,” she chuckled, “Sorry I scared you.”  
“Yew din’t! Jus din’t expect yew to open the door so fast tha’s ol’”, 2D stood awkwardly in her doorway unsure of what to do next, he seemed stomped the way he tilted his head to the side and stared blankly at the girl before him.  
 “Uh huh.” Meryn rolled her eyes, falling on his attire. Never thought she’d see the day 2D would be in anything other than jeans and T-shirts. He seemed to notice her staring, smiling he perked up placing his hands on his hips.“Fink’ I clean up well?”  
Meryn pouted a bit frazzled. “Maybe.”   
He hissed in laughter, “Okay okay we’ll see if yew do any betta’!”  
  
  
“For the love of sweet Satan would you two flirt after we make it to this sodding shin-dig…,” came loudly from around the corner, followed by Murdoc himself, drunkenly stammering to his quarters. He spat at them grunting about as usual. 2D squirmed in discomfort,” It’s not loike tha’…”   
If he were less dense 2D would probably have noticed Meryn wincing in front of him at his words. She shrugged it off following up with a retort, “Very classy Muds, I see you’re pre-gaming or just randomly drunk at 10 in the morning—In any case it’s nice to see you too.”  
Murdoc rolled his eyes shoving past 2D, it threw him forward into Meryn’s room for a moment before he awkwardly backed out of the room. He scratched the back of his head, “Well anyway, I’ll see yew later, luv…”  
“Kay.” Meryn paused watching 2D walk off. “And you do look nice by the way,” she added.  
He turned back to flash a gap-toothed smile before turning the corner. Down the hall, he was audibly snickering to himself.  
  
  
_This guy.  
  
_ Meryn shook her head closing the door behind her. She looked up to see a small silhouette sitting comfortably in the corner of her room. With a sigh she turned on the lights, “Noodle, why do you feel the need to do that?”  
“How long have you liked 2D?”  
Meryn’s eyes went wide for a moment, she looked off trying to avoid the piercing stare peeking between bangs. “And to answer your other question--,” Noodle stood stepping in front of her, “It’s funny!” She smiled mischievously almost bouncing in place, “Anyway are you going to answer MY question?”  
 “Maybe.”  
Noodle shot her a look. “Okay, so I do.” Meryn tapped her foot in unease crossing her arms trying her best to not crack a smile.  
“Yup, I know, we all know, “she chirped coming to a pause, “Well everyone but 2D of course.”  
  
_Figures._  
  
“Well that’s all! I just wanted to ask you to confirm it is all.” Brushing past, Noodle headed for the door.  
Meryn’s lips pursed into a pout, “Anata wa tanoshidesu…” (You're having fun with this aren't you...?)  
Noodle snickered closing the door behind her.   
  
Hours of prepping ensued; flat ironing out the kinks, showering, shaving, and makeup application had to be done.  What color nails? Dress?  Black. Black everything. Long eggplant colored locks fell past her shoulders, draping down her back. She’d managed to fit herself into a near skin tight black dress. The hell with it may as well go all out, despite usually hating being tall, 4-inch heels would like nice with the rest of her attire. Cat-eyed eyeliner and subtle mauve taupe lipstick to finish it off. Examining herself in the mirror, Meryn barely recognized herself. The person in the mirror was someone who was trying to impress. No wonder the little crush she’d developed on 2D was so obvious to everyone. “I look stupid…I should wear something more comfortable.” Clothes flew across the room, rummaging about last minute. Meryn barely had anything considered dressy the majority of her closet with nothing but jean shorts, stockings, and band tees. A few skirts and jeans here and there, but there was definitely a lax theme that she found it hard to break from. In an attempt to be “girly” she’d bought 2 dresses and a single pair of heels for occasions such as this.  But even so, she wasn’t used to the way she looked.  The dress had a long V dip extended all the way down to her upper stomach. While she certainly had the chest to pull this off, it was too much. Even with the mesh tightly covering the valley of her breasts, the cleavage was plain to see. And the rest of the dress hugged every curve imaginable with a mid-knee split to make it possible to walk in.  To her feet were the only pair of heels she owned; closed toe and a satisfying shiny black that reminded Meryn of the tap shoes from when she was small.  
  
Heavy huffs and puffs burst from her mouth, anxiety through the roof and rising. The door swung open at Noodle’s unannounced entrance nearly knocking Meryn off her balance. The small girl wore a burgundy cocktail dress, dark tights and wintry heels that only added a couple inches to her height.  She’d stepped in, made herself comfortable plopping onto the bed looking Meryn up and down,”Hmmm.” Noodle hummed bobbing her head at the unfamiliar sight before her. Skeptical and self-conscious, silky purple hair fell forward at the lowering of her head. “You look like a woman.” Noodle finally spoke nodding in approval, “No point trying to switch it up now, at this rate we’re going to be late.” She was right, it was past time for them to leave. Defeated, Meryn let out a sigh studying herself in the mirror one last time. The person looking back was someone she didn’t recognize, but maybe that was a good thing. It didn’t matter, Meryn was out of time. With as much gusto as she could force, she turned clapping her hands together, “Alrighty then, let’s do this.”

* * *

  
  
2D sighed, his arm linked to the miniature posh brat who’d been plaguing his life in more ways than one as of late. Amelia stuck to him like glue dragging him from place to place greeting person after person. She was eating up the attention of other men, looking back to him proudly at every compliment she got out of the male attendees. Around the large ballroom, 2D spotted his bandmates; Murdoc posted up by the open bar chatting up as many girls as he possibly could, and Russel sat by himself in the corner shoveling plates of food into his face. Violent shaking wrenched his attention down to the blond, who today looked like a literal ice queen in her blue gown.  Her lip snarled at his fleeting attention span. Amelia was beautiful, but if he had to sit with her the entire night, he would go insane. The plan he’d decided on was enduring the remainder of their relationship. After today, 2D would end it.  
  
Low chatter buzzed in the room; different artists and producers sitting friendly with each other over glasses of wine or scotch. The ballroom was dimly lit, golden hues and ivory pillars lined the walls. Staring up at the masterful ceiling, a painting like no other majestically looked down at them all, like God judging his creations. Pitch black orbs looked to the sight thoughtfully, the picture reflecting beautifully on his blank marble-like eyes.  Amelia yanked his arm, pain striking up the length of 2D’s arm,”AH!” He shouted, being wrenched out of yet another trance. She was more difficult today; since the moment she arrived Amelia was nothing but impatient and snappy. He was pulled down to her level; mouth in his ear she hissed, ”Let’s sit Stu.” With a nod, he followed obediently; in the corner of his eye, he noted why in this instance Amelia had nearly torn his arm from its socket.  
  
Meryn stood looking from side to side near the entrance, hair flinging from side to side in search of someone she recognized. 2D blinked mouth agape being pulled along swiftly; time stopped giving him the opportunity to see her entirely. Skin tight, velvety material hugged the girl’s body accentuating the dips and curves he’d never noticed before. At the slight turn of her head, her eyes met his for just a brief moment. Time returned to normal, resuming everything as it were. The fleeting sight was burned into his memory, the image clear even with the passing of other people blocking his view. A dopey wide grin started; tearing across his face like a school-age boy first discovering the opposite sex, with his free hand, 2D covered his mouth not wanting to completely give himself away and mindful of the decision he’d made. But tomorrow couldn’t come any slower.  
Anxious lips mashed together at her entrance looking away from the judging and oogling eyes of those nearby. She could have sworn she saw 2D a moment ago, after all how many other spiky blue haired men were in attendance? But the second she blinked he disappeared; Meryn tensed, looking to the girl 4 years her junior for help. Without a word, Noodle grasped her wrist leading her through the crowd. The two bobbed and weaved between countless people; Meryn unable to look anyone in the eye fixed her eyes to the ground following the burgundy heels that parted the sea of unknown people. She’d come to a stop in front of the table, lightly tugging at Meryn’s wrist. Slowly, shy eyes looked up a sigh of relief immediately exhaled from her lips at someone familiar. “Hey ya’ll finally showed up,” Russel faced them looking away from the numerous plates in front of him. Nodding, Noodle glanced back to Meryn,” She took forever getting ready.” The young girl teased taking a seat beside him. Russel looked suave in his suit and tie, even with a mouthful of food.  
  
“You both look nice ladies,” he returned his attention to the 4th plate that needed clearing.  
 “Thanks, you clean up nicely yourself Russ.” Deep breath, Meryn took a seat in next to Noodle, subconsciously leaning forward to the table hiding herself from any onlookers. It felt like the entire world was staring at her; much like the dress she wore, the attention was too much.  Thinking back to when she’d purchased it, Meryn never really wanted it. The only reason she’d given in was thanks to the barking of complaints from the force that was her best friend. That day, Ruriko had tricked her into shopping for more than just casual wear. Literally shoved from store to store, the dress picked out was more Ruri’s style; hence why she’d practically forced it on Meryn’s unsuspecting body in the dressing room of the crowded store.  Just thinking about it sent her slumping forward into the seat.  
  
“Well well well finally decided to flaunt this little body of yours eh Ryn?” Murdoc approached from behind, placing his hands on her bare shoulders. He grunted biting down on his lip leaning into her ear. Breath hot and heavy, the smell of tobacco and dark liquor wafted into her nose, “Never seen your arms out before, and from this view, I’m just now noticing…” Leaning closer, peering down the mesh crevice a devious grin lined his lips. Murdoc snickered at the flesh he’d never traversed before,” Your knockers look about the size of my hands. Been hiding it all away this whole time, its criminal. Really. It truly is.”  
“Oh man, would you stop?!” Large fists banged heavy onto the table shaking the china stacked near the edge, Russel glared shooting a stern look to the less than sober bassist.   
  
Crusty fingers released her, the green man’s reflexes sent them flying to protect his already beaten in nose, “Calm down Russ, I’m just paying our girl a compliment!” He tried to assure him of the innocence in his actions, half-assed and in his usual throaty drawl, wobbling over to the seat on the other side of the brolic man with an impossibly large appetite. Murdoc didn’t look bad, contrary to how he smelled. His greasy hair was slicked back neatly, a nice clean cut suit with fancy cufflinks made his unkempt nails look even more reptilian; despite that, for once he looked quite nice. Eased into his seat, he spat out, “Where’s face-ache?”  
“He’s with that girl again,” Russel managed to answer cleaning the bones of roasted chicken clean. Forcing her gaze to a normal level, Meryn surveyed the room.  No blue hair or 8-ball eyed men were spotted. A little disappointed, she frowned. Where had he gone?  
  
  
The hum of voices was muted from the bathroom walls and lost on 2D. Yet again, Amelia got him. Shoved into the bathroom, he watched the dainty miss barricade the door; eyes full of desperation she pinned him onto the wall hands all over possessive and gripping at any and everything she could. To her annoyance, Stu Pot was surprisingly unwilling. His entire body went stiff like a board to her touch holding his arms down to his sides. Try as she might, even a simple kiss was impossible; 2D turned away shutting his eyes and lifting his head far beyond what her height could reach. Disbelief and confusion set in; hurt Amelia stepped back uttering a question,"What're you doing?" Slowly he turned his head peering through one eye checking to see if the coast was clear. Below, she stood disheartened frustrated and small only able to look at him out of the side of her eyes. He didn't want to stomp on her feelings but, his own were fading away in thoughts of someone else.   
  
He wanted to spare her the bad news for today; just play along and be the boyfriend she tied him down to be, but giving in and sleeping with her felt wrong when he intended to end it. "Nows not tha' time..."  
"We always do things like this, why do you care now?" She became increasingly upset, her volume rising,"You said you liked stuff like this!" Waving his hands he tried to urge the girl to lower her voice,"I-I do! But we can't ol'ways shag it in tha' toilets...besides I'm holdin' off coz o'tha' last time." Silent for a moment they both stared a wall rising between them. No, she wouldn't let him. With a nod she chirped, "Fine." Sighing in relief, 2D lifted himself off the wall, only to be pushed back straight away. Shocked he hit the wall with a thud wincing at his head bouncing off the tiled wall. In a matter of seconds, she pulled at his pants exposing him into the warm conditioned air. He flung his head down to protest but it was too late.  
  
Amelia, pulling the long slit of her dress to line the cold marble floor dropped to her knees. She took him into her mouth glaring harshly up at him noting the way his face went from aggravated to elated.Throwing his head back she latched on swirling her tongue and gliding over his length. Instantaneously he was hard, again at the mercy of Amelia. Breathy moans left his mouth involuntarily at the bobbing of her head below. Eyes closed, 2D was on cloud nine; hands shot to bury his fingers in her hair, his hips moved on their own thrusting forward into her warm mouth. The tip of her tongue lapped away at his tip causing him to spasm every so often. So badly, he wanted to throw himself deeper and forget his moral code; against the roof of her mouth and being coddled by the soft flicking of her tongue he sighed grabbing a fist full of pale blond hair pulling her back and forth. The base of his cock pillowed by her lips made 2D want to rethink his earlier decision. Sudden buzzing in his pocket broke the euphoric trance; hands still threading through Amelia's hair he lazily let go for a moment reaching into his pants pocket. The screen lit up at the arrival of 2 new messages from the contacts in his phone; Kat-Ryn and Murdoc. Gulping, reality crashed down on him; peering to Amelia she seemed to be in a trance of her own, sucking away at his cock her face was serious and focused on the act. Flicking his attention to the phone he read to himself the opened message.  
  
Kat-Ryn at 7:32 P.M.: Uhhhhhhh I'm pretty sure I saw you earlier. Did you die? :)  
  
Chuckling he pulsated in her mouth and vibrated in laughter breaking Amelia's concentration. Suspicious she glared at the man without him knowing. The next message shut him up and brought 2D fully back to his senses.  
  
Murdoc at 7:33 P.M.: Get your blue haired trouser snake out of the slag and leave the fucking toilets you twit.   
  
Nervous he swallowed another gulp at the arrival of one more message.   
  
Murdoc at 7:34 P.M.: Don't make me come in there.  
  
"Mmmn uh 'Melia?" He began trying to will himself to stop her. At the end of a deep breath, 2D grasped her head halting her movements, "Stop." Amelia stared up to him innocent batting her eyes licking the girth of his manhood regardless of his wishes. Teeth clenched, he shook his head, "S-Stop, lemme go." How was he resisting her again? Sucking one last time; Amelia took what she could,  pocketing the pre-cum under her tongue. Nothingness in her eyes, 2D could have never expected what happened next. A pain he never experienced before struck him, teeth biting down onto the already sensitive area protruding from his lower regions. His eyes went wide at the filling of air in his lungs. "GAH FUCKIN' HELL!" Belted out from his lungs with all their might. His knee jerked and his legs bucked in defense kicking her in the throat and kneeing her lip, sending her barreling backwards onto the bathroom floor. Frantic hands tucked himself away into the safety of his trousers, scaling the wall past her 2D wasn't sure whether he should help her up or run for his life. Angry black holes squinted flabbergasted and his lips snarled into a scowl looking to the girl on the floor in disgust and contempt. An eerie menacing look from her below changed the air; she remained there like a corpse with a doll-like stare.    
  
"I'donno wha' ya problem is...ya nearly bit me knob clean off! I-Yew-," he exclaimed hyperventilating scrambling for words, made uneasy by the silent unbalanced stare. A heavy knock came at the door, the banging noise jerked his head to the sound, no longer compelled to be nice or accommodating, 2D swallowed the rising panic letting himself take a much needed deep breath. Hard-nosed and determined he exhaled looking to Amelia one last time; there was nothing else inside that would make him pity or excuse her actions. Pragmatic; he frowned, his nose crinkled wrenching his mouth into a tight knot. Unsympathetic and distant, 2D started for the door. Barricades removed, he fixed his attire coldly mustering the final words he had for her,"Fix yer self up and sod off we're done." Wrenching the door open, he left her there, no urge to look back or think twice. The door slowly shut behind him leaving Amelia in silence on the floor. She stared up at the ceiling feeling little but the rising urge to do something drastic. A small smile cracked across her face, followed by an unhinged chortle that ripped through the empty restroom. Laying there she held herself flicking her tongue on her bloodied lip.   
  
"O.K."  
  
  
The door closed behind him, ending their twisted relationship. His mouth was still wrenched into the tight disgusted knot as a blur of green flashed in the corner of his eye. A heavy-handed smack sent 2D tumbling to the floor. The back of his head bashed against the hallway wall. He bit his tongue on impact howling in pain, "Ahhhhh flippin' eck!" Rubbing away the pain, his eyes focused on Murdoc who stood impatiently before him. "Shut up and fix your face before I give you another." At the roll of his eyes, he walked off into the ballroom. Groaning, Stu Pot brought himself to his feet dusting himself off and holding the cheek that was currently swelling with blood. Listless and dispirited, he followed sauntering through the groups of people. It was brief but the time his sensitive flesh had been bitten down on had certainly hurt. Like hell, every step he took sent random throbbing pains down his spine.  
  
"Are you O.K.?"

His attention shot to Meryn. Abruptly as she spoke, his expression softened, "I'll be fine, love." Her head tilted not quite believing his claim, eyes searching up and down at his wonkier than usual posture and the more exaggerated bags under his blank eyes. Pursing her lips, she nodded shrugging away the suspicions she wanted to confirm. Freshly manicured hands patted the seat next to her urging 2D to sit. Exhausted, he plopped down face planting onto the table in one motion. Russel's now cleared plates shook at the impact. Nudges to his side came one after another; wanting it to stop he faced Meryn to plea but instead found himself caught dead in her eyes. She had put her head down next to him in attempt to make him laugh. Glowing chestnut eyes gazed at him. Lush long lashes blinked, the lined almond points of Meryn's windows being pulled by the growing smile on her face. Amaranthine strands looked more violet in the dim lit ballroom. His eyes followed the strands that draped onto the table near her mouth to the glossy ends on her upper back. Unable to look away his eyes wandered further, lower; trying to get a glimpse of the V cut mesh lined chest he saw earlier. A finger came forth, poking 2D on the nose sending his view back to her face. Playfully she puckered, the tip of her finger pressing down on the tip of his nose.

"Boop!" She chuckled, entertained with her own random behavior.

He blinked confused, and half cross-eyed to her amusement. The way she looked served as a distraction from the pain. Meryn was pleasant to look at on a regular basis, but today the only word he could come up to describe her was 'gorgeous'. At the moment, 'pretty' just wouldn't do. 2D cracked a smile, humming in awe. Recalling two days prior, the feeling of her body pressed against his own brought the sharp pain back tenfold. He grunted, holding his breath with a constipated look on his face.  
  
"What's wrong, D?" She asked once more, now concerned. Her eyebrows shot up at her best guess. "Got a headache?"  
  
"Somethin' loike tha'..." He managed plastering as reassuring a grin as he could.   
  
"Quit your fidgeting and googly eyes you two, some broads about to speak." Murdoc shoved 2D from across the table, his head rocked at the force. Too tired to protest, Stu Pot rolled his head to the opposite side, his swollen eyes closed for a moment imagining how easier things would've been if he'd just stayed behind at Kong. Like clockwork, Russel knocked the rude man across the head,"Keep ya hands to yourself Muds." Noodle giggled to herself turning her attention to the pretty long haired woman standing in the center of the room.  
  
"Everyone, if you'd find your seats we'll be starting shortly."  
  
Meryn sat up reaching across the table, leaving a swift smack to the top of Murdoc's head,"Douche."   
"Piss off you little--" he stuttered feeling the eyes of Russel on his back. A dirty look shot at Meryn, he leaned back in the chair murmuring things under his breath.  
  
"Let's not make a scene, got a lot of Gorillaz collaborators and potential talents here tonight. If we want to add someone to the roster, y'all better be on your best behavior." Russel gave Meryn a stern parental look. She understood, nodding a bit ashamed turning her attention to the center of the room. Her eyes fell on the woman who'd just called for attention. Immediately Meryn stiffened, turning back around. Her form slouched close to the table warranting a simultaneous questioning look from the entire table. Eyes wide, she attempted to play it off,"So Russel, are there any say...aspiring producers here tonight as well?"  
  
"Yeah if they got connections I guess. Why?"  
  
Everything inside told her not to turn around, to simply put her head down the whole event. Against her instincts, Meryn slowly turned her head around once more. That was a mistake; the woman stood to face their table, twirling long dark hair around her index finger. Eyes went wide aiming directly back to her squinting at the confirmation of who was seated with Gorillaz across the ballroom. The pink lips of the slender woman curved into a smirk telling Meryn everything she needed to know about how the rest of the evening would go.   
  
Accepting her fate, she turned back to her roommates with a sigh, "Shit. Ruri's going to kill me."


	14. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confessions and lack thereof. Slight smut at the end. Ohonhonhon. I'm sorry...I've been typing for hours.

Everything went rather smoothly to both of their delights. No sign of Amelia, and Ruri hadn't yet confronted Meryn. However, they both knew this wouldn't last. 2D had long since pushed aside the aching pain, in place of it was worry. He'd left his ex on the floor of the bathroom, alone. What if something bad happened? Relentless negative thoughts came and went; his heart rate erratically springing back and forth between having a heart attack and no heart rate at all. His foot tapped anxiously at the leg of the table swiveling his head from side to side periodically searching for the familiar sight of Amelia. No dice. In the midst of his panic, he noticed Meryn too was nervous about something. She sat very still, the only movement visible being the shallow rising and falling of her breath and the shifty movement of her eyes from left to right.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you two?"  
  
Simultaneously, they both shot up at Murdoc's inquiry; both said nothing, mustering a similar faux ignorant frown their heads rattled followed by the immediate return to a paranoid state. From behind, Murdoc noticed the girl who had spoken earlier coming closer and closer, but gradually throughout the night. Suspicious he caught eye contact with the girl Meryn seemed to be avoiding. To spite her, he grinned motioning for the exotic looking girl to come over. It worked; her perfectly shaped eyebrows rose at the opportunity, quick in pace she made her way over stopping directly behind Meryn. Russel and Noodle gave their attention to her sudden presence, both opening their mouths to speak. But the girl had other plans. Wildly she waved her hands about shaking her head from side to side flinging lengthy black locks as she shook. She brought her finger to her mouth hoping they'd keep her presence quieted. Hands slowly came out from Meryn's peripheral, before she could react they clasped over her eyes pulling her backward in her chair.   
  
Almost falling off her balance, she jumped kicking her legs at the abrupt force going limp seconds later in acceptance. With a heavy sigh, she greeted her best friend,"Hi Ruri."  
  
The greeting was met with an automatic smack upside the head upon the release of her eyes. Meryn winced turning back to shoot a glare. Ruri stood proudly; smug and expectingly. Mouth up-turned, she complained,"Is that all you have to say to me after a year?" Her roommates looked at each other exchanging looks of confusion and bewilderment. Murdoc however, cackled aloud rocking in on the legs of his chair. The glare melted away under the judgment of her closest friend; after everything happened and Meryn was put into a Mental Hospital, Ruri made every attempt to see her. Things were different then, but the present remained the same; she owed Ruri an explanation.  
  
Looking into the bright honey brown eyes of the girl, Meryn's deeper brown ones lowered feeling guilt and time catching up with her.  
  
"Meryn?" She was waiting; she wouldn't move without some sort of satisfaction. Shoulders shrinking, she mustered up the courage to say something, anything in response. "I'm...sorry."  
  
The silence between the two made everyone uncomfortable; 2D and Noodle shrugged being on the same level of confusion and clearly left in the dark as to who this person was. Noticing, she broke the silence holding the temples on her forehead and brushing swooped bangs aside.  
  
"I'm Ruriko. Call me Ruri." She looked around gauging all the curious faces,"And you're all Gorillaz. It's a pleasure."  
  
"Likewise." Murdoc studied her carefully, paying extra attention to her proportions. Eyes flickering towards him, she smiled," Mr. Niccals. You're even more grungy in person."  
  
"I try to uphold a certain look, darling thanks for taking notice."  
  
_Oh, God._  
  
Meryn's face scrunched up at the little back and forth they were having. In the meantime, a chair was pulled up casually in between herself and 2D. Lips puckered she shimmied into the small space offering the spiky haired man a polite smile. He couldn't have been more unclear on what was happening,"Uhm yew know Kat-Ah!" Quickly he fixed his words, "--Meryn I mean?" A large amused grin beamed at him; pivoting her entire body she leaned onto the table with an arm gazing into the eyes of the black-eyed lead singer,"Kat huh? Is that a nickname you have for Marin?"  
  
"M-Marin?" Russel queried raising a single brow. Ruri's attention flew to accommodate each and everyone one of the band members. "Yep. That's what everyone called her in High School--Uh I mean Secondary School." Her attention span was quick and prompt, gesturing she extended a hand,"It's called Secondary School here right?" Meryn answered before anyone else could,"Yeah." Shoulders shrugging at the heavy sigh that gusted out from her nostrils, she licked the corner of her lips, some of her lipstick smudging in the process.   
  
Without a word, Ruri reached to fix the flaw on her dear, albeit cumbersome friend. With the tip of her nail, the smudge disappeared. "Why do you always do this? I was worried. Again." Head shaking softly, she looked at Meryn sighing into a forgiving smile. Even when it was deserved, it was difficult to look at her troubled friend with scorn. Especially when she always did the same thing once she'd been found; as usual, she'd lowered her head in shame and squirmed uneasily. It had been so long that she sat in such close proximity with the same girl; the only other black girl her age she'd known in Japan.  
  
"From Japan now are you?" Murdoc interrupted the reminiscing attempting to insert himself into the conversation. Both girls focused on him; Meryn a bit saddened, and this new girl unnaturally upbeat. "Yeppers!" She answered ecstatic bouncing in her seat. The golden shimmering material of her dress gleamed under the chandelier above. "I'm a proud 'half-fu'!" She looked back to Meryn for a moment, checking to make sure she was O.K. returning her attention to the pale green man gawking at her in awe. Before he asked, Ruri answered the question she expected to come,"I'm half Japanese, half Ghanaian." Two peace signs rose into the air, backed by a wide confident grin.  
  
"Exotic bird yeah?" He leaned forward enraptured with her.   
"That means 'girl' right?" She checked; reassured by the silent rapid nodding of 2D, she returned a flirtatious smirk to Murdoc. The corners of her mouth decorated with the two dimples on her cheeks. Disgusted, Meryn stood,"I'm going to the bathroom." Not paying her much mind, Ruri waved her hand dismissively not breaking eye contact with the living corpse.  
  
"Yew O.K.?" Concerned with how saddened she seemed to be, 2D gently grabbed her wrist before she could walk off. Taken aback, Meryn looked over her shoulder in question. He looked concerned about something his body language had his sitting straight up and drawing forward as if trying to get her to stay. In that moment, he noticed how tiny her wrist was. His gaze traveled up her arm taking in tan faded lines he'd never seen before. The entire time she was with them; her arms had never been seen by anyone. Covered by hoodies and long sleeved jackets, how could they? Even with the flaws, the bronze undertone of her complexion glimmered, sparkling like shards of seashells on a sandy beach at sunset. He blinked, quickly letting go, "Sorry erm nevah mind..."  
  
Noodle who'd been quiet for awhile eyed his body language. Amelia had come here with him, right? So, where was she? Her gaze became harsh, staring daggers at the man. There was something he wasn't saying. Meryn tilted her head at his swift release; the couple seconds his hand wrapped around her wrist, it felt like it belonged there. Upon releasing her, she felt empty for a moment. The feeling was pushed aside in acknowledgment that yet again, there was nothing between them. He was just being friendly. Reassuring him with a kind smile she nodded, walking off for the bathroom eyes glued to the ground.  
  
He turned back to the table, hunching forward holding his head. Sneaking a peek, he looked back at her disappearing form through the elongated fingers burying themselves into his hair. In attempt to play it cool, 2D picked up the glass of water untouched in front of him taking a big gulp wanting to calm his nerves. Ruri swiped her hand in front of the blank-eyed man catching his empty void-like stare through the glass.   
  
"2D, do you like my Marin?"   
  
"PFTTT!" Water sprayed from his lips and the gaps in his teeth; hacking and coughing grabbing the attention of tables nearby. Clearing his throat, he wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his suit jacket,"WHY-!" He started, ultimately quieting himself noticing the eyes that fell on him,"Why do I keep gettin' asked the same bloomin' fing?!" He lowered his voice as much as he could while still blurting out his clear discomfort. At the exact same time, Murdoc and this new girl, Meryn's best friend from years before laughed out loud. It was embarrassing to say in the least. Though she seemed to feel a little bad for putting him on the spot; hand placed on his shoulder she changed the subject,"I'm sorry. I was just teasing you...So um, how's it been so far? With her living among you all." For the first time since boldly appearing before them, Ruri was awkward, pushing the hair that fell forward down her back.  
  
"Well, as soon as she got here, all this sodding drama unfolded," Murdoc spoke up matter of factly. After a short pause his face changed, a question heavy on his mind,"If you don't mind answering me this, love...What exactly did she do to get such a nasty blemish on her record?" Batting heavy lashes, Ruri's mouth shrank," She just...snapped. That's all." Averting her gaze, the image of Meryn before the whole ordeal appeared in her mind. The memory was like yesterday, but so different from how she currently appeared.   
  
 She blinked turning her attention to Murdoc,"I won't tell you the personal things she's entrusted me with, but...to put it simply, as I'm sure you must be aware, there are many things wrong with her that have made Meryn...Who she is today." Nostalgic, a small smile peered through Ruri's otherwise somber expression," She's a trip. That's for sure...When I first met her we clicked. I say that, but I mean I forced her to spend time with me. You should have seen her; quiet, distant, and awkward. The second she introduced herself to our class, I stood up proclaiming that us 'gaijins' stick together." Suddenly, uproarious laughter bellowed out from her tensed expression," She gave me this flabbergasted look like I'd just blown her cover! How I was back then was a bit over the top; I used to make her do things because Marin never wanted to DO anything!" Covering her mouth silencing her laughter to a stifled giggle, Ruri smirked," I founded a little rinky-dink after school band with our Student Council Association, rounded up a couple kids that could play and dubbed Meryn the lead singer when my application got denied. Gotta have five people to form a club or organization. And she was the fifth."  
  
"She's a lead singah'?" 2D interrupted. Ruri didn't mind; she nodded friendly with the shaggy blue haired man," She was. She always said she hated it, I literally had to force her on stage whenever we performed. But whenever the music started, she switched gears. There was always a fire in her eyes; it probably came easily to her considering Sol..." Trailing off, the talkative girl went silent.  
  
"Her brother right? 'Sol' like the sun?" Russel's raspy voice morphed in from his vocal absence. "Yep," Ruri began swooning,"He was producing since they were back in the states. Apparently, when he moved to JP it was because of the growing hip-hop influence at the time. He often included Meryn even when she was a kid on whatever he was working on over the years..."  
"Past tense?" Russel leaned onto the table resting both elbows onto the cloth.  
"Yeah. He was nice and encouraging...Unlike their sister. I never knew Terra, but if I ever did, I'd quite honestly...beat the shit out of her." Shrugging, Ruri shifted her weight, looking back to where Meryn had walked off.  
  
"Noodle?" Ruri addressed the quiet observant girl who'd been silent the entire time,"Genki?" Informal and a bit impatient to the question that had been on her mind for awhile now, she inquired. The younger girl took a moment to respond, but once she did the aura changed,"Somethings off."  
  
"Hnnn? You think so too?" Ruri looked to 2D from the corners of her thinned eyes,"What was that lingering moment you had with 'Kat' earlier?" All eyes fell on him. His heart nearly burst a vessel under the judging eyes of his band members,"Jus want'd t'make sure she was O.K.? Why? Whaddya gettin' at?"  
  
He really didn't know what the issue was? In his head, they were just poking fun at him under suspicion of having less than platonic feelings for the girl.   
"Ol' this t'see if I fancy 'er?" The entire table facepalmed in unison at just how dense the pretty boy was, with the exception of Ruri who looked around confused at the loud thwacking on the foreheads of them all.  
  
Russel's meaty hand dragged down his face, starting to understand why Noodle was so quiet, "Didn't you come here with that girl D?" The inner machinations of his mind could practically be seen on his face. The turning gears and cogs slowly brought him up to pace with everyone else. Amelia had come with him but never showed back up again. The last time he saw her was in the bathroom. Which is were Meryn had gone off to some 10 minutes ago. The dimmed light bulb in his head went off. His blackened eyes went wide stricken by the sudden realization. Scampering in his seat, long legs shot out from the chair in alarm willing him to stand,"I-I'm gonna go check on Ka-Meryn then!"  
  
They watched as 2D shuffled away, skulking to the hall looking much like a well-dressed scarecrow. "What girl?" Ruri questioned sitting up in her own seat at the hurried exit of the awkward and angular man.   
  
"You'll have to excuse him. He's got special needs." Murdoc looked off to the side, his eyes flying back to the puzzled girl,"2D has this little girlfriend--And I mean that literally--Anyway Ryn and his shagging partner don't exactly...see eye to eye. Literally or figuratively." Grunting his shoulders shrugged chucking at his own play on words.   
  
"Oh." Ruri rocked back and forth slowly,"Oh no." Straight-faced and jittery she leaned all the way back in the chair, teetering on the edge. Noodle broke her extended silence to confirm her suspicions,"Is 2D's girlfriend going to die?"  
  
With a heavy heart, she flung forward flat on the marble flooring. A slow but steady nod became rapid and full of certainty. "Most likely."

* * *

  
Meryn opened the bathroom door; the hallway was so quiet a slight creaking could be heard from the corners. The lightens flickered on automatically; bright fluorescent light blinding her momentarily due to the low light of the main event area. Adjusting to the sudden brightness, she glanced around the restroom at the rather nice decor. It was expected at such a sophisticated centre. Slowly the door closed behind her, only the soft hum of the lights could be heard. It was dead silent. All of the stall doors were wide open but yet she could see a shadow looming from the handicap stall. Bending down just a tad, the beautiful ends of a blue dress were draped in the corner. Someone was in here with her but whoever it was said nothing or even stirred at her arrival. Thinking more, Meryn became increasingly cautious. Whoever was in here with her, had been standing in the dark for some time. Bending forward, she got as close to the ground as she could without touching it. Peering under the stall a chill ran down her spine; she came eye to eye with a familiar pair of ice blue eyes.  
  
Meryn shot up, disturbed and a little terrified. "Amelia?" No answer. Insight told her something bad would happen; swallowing the lump in her throat, she carefully entered the stall coming face to face with a different looking girl than she'd met. Her lip was busted, throat bruised a purple hue and a blank unreadable expression on her face. Shaking her head, Meryn frowned slightly concerned,"What the hell happened to you?"  
  
Her question seemed to spark a response; subtle changes in the air, Amelia clenched her fists leaning against the stall barrier. A sudden bang on the stall surprised Meryn; she flinched backing away, not in fear but on her guard. Hardening her expression she tensed,"You have me all alone. What're you going to do?" The girl drew forward, heels clacking against the hard marble floor. She held herself guard backing onto the wall behind her,"I don't want to fight, but if you make a move, I'll give you one." For a moment nothing happened. The two stared each other down until Amelia stopped inches from her face.  
  
"Move." Patience ran thin, pupils became the size of pins, engulfed in brown textured lenses. Little hands ghosted over her body, to her surprise caressing her clenched jaw. Amelia looked fondly into Meryn's eyes for a moment before drawing backward and lunging a translucent substance from her mouth. Whatever it was was spat out landing close to the contorted lips of the unhinged Meryn Jakes.  
  
"He's all yours."  
  
Within the span of a couple seconds, the smaller girl looked up expectingly. The crazed glint in her eyes, followed by a smile that showed sheer masochistic delight. With a deep, drawn-out sigh, Meryn offered a kind smile tilting her head to the side. The smell coming from the loogie on her face was familiar.  
  
"Pre-cum?" Nodding, Meryn really didn't need an answer. Her eyes flickered to the ceiling for moment, the very second they fell back on Amelia she snapped. Time moved quickly at the crushing of the little woman's face; hand grasping Amelia's jaw she clenched smashing her face into a laughable expression. However, no laughter came. Hard brass- like knuckles made contact with her face harder and harder each time. The force alone could have knocked her off balance, but Meryn thought ahead for the that. Unrelenting grasp in one hand, the other pounded into the face the blond.Yelps and cries echoed from tile to tile. The girl's face met the stall wall, nose first. The sound of cartilage snapped ringing in both their ears. Shrill crying began to mumble out, pathetic and yet still wanting more,"S'not good enuf--" Amelia couldn't finish her teasing, too fast to comprehend her skull was bashed into the wall again and thrown into the bowl of the toilet. She stumbled forward biting her tongue in the process, the water became pink with blood at the continuous dunking of the now barely conscious girl's aching head. Coughing and desperate howls came out from her pained throat, spitting the toilet water and blood between dunks. Somewhere between slamming her skull onto the caulked toilet bowl and fishing Amelia out throwing her to the floor, the sane part of Meryn questioned whether she'd been enjoying the pain.  
  
Suddenly she stopped, looking down to the pathetic beaten up girl. Through swelling eyes, she smiled with her eyes.  
  
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Snarled from her mouth in disgust,"Are you some kind of masochist?" No answer. Just a continued encouraging stare through puffed up eyes. Confused, it was hard for even Meryn to enjoy acting out her repressed rage. On her knees above; Amelia looked bad. Her pale complexion was almost beet red, mouth swollen as well drool escaped the corners of her lips.

No longer gaining anything from the nonsense, Meryn stood to her feet fixing her dress. She'd returned to her sane state of mind, almost pitying the broken little girl laying on the now dirtied bathroom floor. 

"What're you thinking?" Amelia spoke for the first time in awhile, wiping her eyes of the water soaked on her face. No. The tears that started to flow from her eyes. Unsure of anything anymore, she shrugged relaxing her shoulders,"I think you need help." Plainly, Meryn leaned against the stall door closing it behind her,"Get up already. I didn't completely lay you out."

"What's the point?" Turning just her head, the straggly blond strands matted to her face. She sniffled staring at the floor memorizing the swirling patterns.  
Calm and collected, Meryn continued to speak with her, "You've been instigating and pushing me since we met. Honestly, I should have knocked your goddamn teeth out when you tried to give me my shirt with cum stains..." Chuckling at the memory, the stall shook a little,"When you slept with 2D in my room, I should have ended you." The memory alone increased her heart rate, she fumed inwardly.

"So, why didn't you?"  
  
"I wanted to change mostly. But also, didn't wanna scare off 2D."  
  
The petite girl thought to herself for a moment," Stuart? You don't scare him."   
  
"I will when he sees what I did to you."  
  
Examining her dress, there were little runs and tears at the mesh portions, no longer caring about it Meryn relaxed dead-eyed with a loud puff of air.   
  
"No, he'll think I deserve it."  
  
"You did--Do." Meryn corrected herself. "Amelia, why are you so difficult?"  
  
"I dunno...hate myself I guess..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"......," she seemed unsure now staring at the ceiling. After a couple seconds, she shrugged, trying to adjust her nose,"I think I might like you."  
  
Surprisingly, Meryn didn't react. Expecting a disgusted retort, Amelia slowly sat up her elbow buckling under her dead weight. Dragging herself to the wall, she propped herself up in a few pained motions. Curiosity got the best of her, why wouldn't she say something? After everything, this revelation had done nothing to phase or leave her speechless. For the first time since meeting her, Amelia looked at her. Really looked at her. What she saw was someone who struggled much like herself. Meryn was a person; not an obstacle to one up or a tool for sexual exploration. Somewhere along the lines, Amelia began looking for herself in other people. Thoughtful with a lighter outlook, she laughed to herself,"You're really not bothered?"  
  
"Nope." She answered so easily without a second thought,"But, I think you might be confusing romantic feelings for this idea you've created around me."  
  
"Y-You knew?"  
  
"I had an idea." Meryn plainly answered kicking off the wall, she stood up straight extending a hand,"I won't say I'm sorry, but I can't stand the sight of you on the floor like that...I'm not a big fan of my tendency to act out." Hesitant, Amelia took her hand,"Why are you trying to help me?"  
In one pull, Meryn brought her to her feet,"You can only help yourself. Maybe if things were different...I could have." The stall opened, taking a step out, she immediately saw herself in the mirror. The ends of her hair were grungy and coiled. With a sigh, she stepped up to the sink watching the reflection of the all of a sudden shy puny body peering from behind the door. She was like an entirely different person now, chuckling Meryn's head shook from side to side," D did mention that you weren't always so..."  _No_. It didn't seem right to poke at her.   
  
"Anyway, did something happen?" She started again turning the faucets; cool water streamed down pooling in the sink. Making a small attempt to retain some of her built up persona, Amelia joined her at the sink aghast at the sight of herself. She declined answering with a turn of her head; she was still a cute little thing but it looked as if it would take weeks for her face to return to normal if she was lucky. Dainty wet hands rose to her face, wincing at the pain. "Come here." The kind woman who'd just beaten her up stood with a gentle patient expression cupping water in the palms of her hands. Cooperating, she obediently stepped closer. Wordlessly, Meryn tended to her doing what she could with the little supplies she had. Wet paper towels dabbed the blood away. Her lithe stature flinching and twitching at the soapy makeshift cloths. The disinfectant wipes stuffed away in Meryn's cleavage were the worst. Hissing at the contact of alcohol on possibly infected skin burned like no other. At the receding pain, eventually, she answered,"I wanted to be punished."   
"Sit up here." The stoic faced woman requested, tapping her hand on the counter.  
  
  
Inflamed skin became slightly soothed at the cool compress placed on the bridge of her nose, her feet kicked in relief relaxing her aching body as much as she could. Although she couldn't see, the counter thumped Meryn's added presence alongside her. After some thought she turned seeing only the grey color of the cloth and her own feet kicking in the corner of her eye,"You and Stu are the only ones who gave me what I wanted, everyone else makes excuses for me and regards me as some little kid who doesn't know any better..." That caught her attention,"What'd he do?"  
"...He just did what I did to him first," meekly her small hands pointed to the welts on her neck. They grazed over removing the remainder of the make up it took to cover the marks,"I didn't think he had it in him...I was wrong." Blinking, she leaned onto the mirror; it was easy to put two and two together,"Back in my room?"  
"Yeah...And to answer your question, nothing happened to me. I don't have a sobby backstory; my parents aren't monsters, I was given pretty much everything I've ever wanted and most things came easy to me. People wanted to be my friend, so I did my best to meet those expectations. Boys wanted me, so I did my best to be desirable. At one point even the lead singer of a world-renowned band wanted me..." Amelia fell flat wondering where she was going with her words.  
  
"Sounds like feigned happiness to me. From what I'm gathering, you've been deceiving everyone around you with these preconceived notions on how you believe people expect you to be. To put it in simple terms, you can fool everyone, but you can never fool yourself," Gently removing the cloth from Amelia's face she examined the little cuts and bruises acknowledging her efforts weren't enough. Still, the lost little woman looked at her aid doe-eyed blissfully ignorant to the repairs that would need to be done. "You're going to need the paramedics pretty soon you know," Meryn cringed cursing herself for being able to hurt someone this way. With a single nod, Amelia didn't seem to mind, "Never been, guess I'll find out how that'll go..." Clenching the counter, Amelia worked up the nerve to ask a question she'd been avoiding for a long time,"Meryn, can you confirm something for me? Do you think we could've been friends?"  
  
"Perhaps more. Ever kissed a girl?"   
The look on Amelia's face was priceless, keeling forward she held her stomach the thought knocked the air out of the delicate curious female. Wholeheartedly  she flashed her a front gapped tooth smile,"Discover who you are you'll find the answers you're looking for."  
  
Two completely different knocks came at the door. One loud and the other soft, with no added thought behind the inquiry the door burst open. 2D met with the sight of both girls sitting on the countertop. Both dressed tattered and makeup ruined, they turned their attention to the fidgeting man whose knees rattled together in the doorway. "Hey D," mellowed Meryn called to him,"Can you request the car be brought around? I think I'm done for the day."

* * *

  
The last thing 2D had in mind for the night was leaving early and spending an hour in E.R. with his more recent EX-girlfriend. What was even more mindboggling was the way she was suddenly interacting with Meryn. Sitting alone by himself in the waiting room, he had a lot of time to try and fathom just what the hell had happened in the 10 or 15 minutes Meryn had spent in the toilets. Scratching his head he squinted, clearly, she'd beaten Amelia black and blue but that didn't explain why she had changed her mind.  
"Hey. We can go now," Meryn tapped his shoulder mid thought causing him to swing himself around in response. Nodding he stood, his bones creaking and popping as he stretched, "Everyfing sorted?"  
"I convinced her to seek help. After she's released, she claims she'll admit herself to a Mental Health Facility." Side by side, the pair walked off in similar strides. Ducking back into the car, they began their travel home.   
  
The entirety of the ride was spent in silence. Eyes fixed out the window, Meryn seemed to be deeply thinking. Despite how creepy it was to literally stare directly at someone who was paying no mind to him, 2D couldn't help but watch her. He sat on the opposite side of the back seat, arm extended behind her, his forearm rested on the trunk cover in the very back of the car. Wordlessly he wondered to himself what she could possibly be thinking. He couldn't figure her out but one thing was certain; she was intriguing. Together they'd dozed off, in the 30 minutes it took to get back to Kong somehow her body and head had turned to face him in her sleep. The bumpy roads at the entrance caused him to stir, lifting his head off the back of the cushioned headrest, 2D smacked his lips heavy-lidded eyes glancing over to Meryn's graceful sleeping form. He awoke fully looking down at her not remembering being this close, little puffs of warm air came from parted lips onto his neck. Shuddering he shook her awake,"We're back."  
  
Entering the building, Meryn groaned loudly her voice echoed in the foyer at the ticket counter.They'd stayed silent otherwise, without speaking a word, 2D insisted on walking her to her room. Once at her door she turned around to face him," Night D." For some reason, he couldn't will himself to return it. His face was rather serious, a stern look in his eyes created a tension that she only then began to understand. Something about him drew her in. On the other end of their prolonged silence; 2D fought off the urge to grab her, more importantly, the undeniable need to bury himself inside her and experience what Meryn felt like around his dick. Unable to wrench himself away, he searched her eyes for a sign. For a fleeting moment, they seemed to tell him something. She could do better. Right? She didn't want him. Right? Still, he could feel himself gravitating closer. If he leaned in close enough he could...  
  
Meryn's voice hitched, her nerves jittered stuck in his inviting gaze. She could taste the cigarettes he'd indulged in hours ago. Her tongue swole wanting nothing more than to be engulfed by him. Unbeknownst to either of them, sinful thoughts played out in both their heads. With a long deep breath, she swallowed the growing lump in her throat coming back to her senses. She'd practically splashed in a toilet with Amelia. Even if he felt the same, she wouldn't allow it. Biting down on her bottom lip, she pushed the door open,"You didn't say it back weirdo..."  
  
2D's eyes fluttered in disappointment being brought back down to reality. "Oh yeah, night then love." A tad hurt, he wished she had wanted him just as badly. Shrugging off the awkward moment he waved weakly managing to make a small joke,"Guess yew could say Kat got moi tongue." Hissing he laughed off the embarrassment. At least she had smiled back,"That was so bad it was good D...See you in the morning." The door slowly closed in front of him, his hand still raised waving goodbye. Lowering his head, blue spikes fell forward staring at the floor, the light flickered on behind the door bright light peeking from under the door. Kicking his feet, 2D made his way downstairs; the thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. In the comfort of his own room, he slammed the door shut; back against it the thoughts played out over and over until he broke.   
  
Images of Meryn flashed by; her shape, mouth, gaze...Two days ago he'd gotten a whiff off her scent. Sweet, like cotton candy. Last but not least, her body. The one that had laid on top of him days before. Remembering well the brief soft grazing of her lips, he began to imagine the things she'd not done for him. Her voice; how would it sound gasping in ecstasy? How would she sound if he were inside her? Gulping his Adam's apple bobbed marking the betrayal of his body. Fingers crept into his suit pants grabbing hold of what ached so badly to be held like a vise. In one move the pants came undone drooping down the legs that took over a good percentage of his body. Freeing his ever growing erection, he wondered, was the skin he hadn't seen golden like the rest of her. In her dress, her breasts were heaving practically bursting out at him. Maybe if he had made a move, her body would at this very moment be pressed against his own. Lips joined, hands roaming uncharted territory, heavy breathing, eager and raw. 2D's eyes closed, letting his hand take him as close as he could to experience her. It was torture, not being able to lay her down and make her body an extension of himself. Faster now; his breathing increased, a light pant at every thrust. He could see her moving with him being brought high and higher until--"Ngh!"  
  
Release.   
  
On one last stroke, he sighed opening his eyes,"Shit..." Lifting his hand, spattered white pooled in his open palm. This was as close as he'd get with her and he had to respect that. Engraving it deep down, 2D wouldn't let himself do this again. She'd been through enough, what would he possibly bring her? For her, he would find other ways of acting out his carnal desires. "Jus this once.." He had accepted it' Meryn was his friend, nothing more.  
  
Two floors above, little mewls filled Meryn's room breaking into a longing moan at the climax of her own. Catching her breath she closed her eyes removing the two fingers from her heat. 2D was her friend, and she'd just cum to the thought of said friend filling the void inside with the essence of life. His life. Tired and ashamed, she turned on her side,"Pathetic."


	15. Difficulties

"Mnh?"  
  
The sound of rustling pages from below woke the exhausted young woman from her short slumber. The entire night consisted of thinking of her actions after she had succumbed to sinful thoughts. Masturbation is a common thing, but for Meryn quite uncommon when it comes to men. Since childhood, she'd been more interested in her own sex than the opposite one. Blinking she tried to will herself awake. Another flip of a page came, now sounding closer than a moment ago.  
  
"Ohaiyouuuu~"

 

 

Rolling over to her side, her vision focused on the familiar face. "Hey," propping herself on her elbow, her face mashed against her arm coming face to face with Ruri. She must've come in last night; she had always done stuff like that before. Often in High School, the girl would be there as Meryn woke up, typically making herself comfortable at the foot of her bed finding something to do until she'd awoken. "Hnnn...," with a low grunt, Meryn brought herself to sit up and get her bearings and wide mouth yawn at the end of her grumbling.

"So, you beat the hell out of that girl huh?" Ruri looked back to the book she'd found on the floor, a book Meryn had owned for awhile but never bothered to read. Head hung, she pushed the plum locks away from her eyes sniffling at the sudden chill in the air. Examining her room, it looked like Ruri had just gotten there. Referring to their life in Shibuya, Ruri would either cuddle up next to her without a word or lay out on the floor in a ball with a blanket or a coat. As cold as it was on this morning, Ruri would normally be under the covers with her. Flitting eyes stared down at the foot of her bed, a full head of dark hair and the many words splayed out on both pages, "Don't really want to talk about it, I'm not exactly happy about how nasty I can be--What're you reading?" Not bothering to look up at her friend, Ruri flipped another page,"You can't tell? This is YOUR book, you really need to wear your glasses, Marin."  
"I just woke up, give me a break." Slamming back down against the bed, Meryn rolled over to the other side barricading herself under the covers in efforts to keep warm. From under the covers, she mumbled,"How'd you get in here anyway?" The weight of her came suddenly at the side of the mattress, looking back she'd placed her head onto the mattress peering up at her half asleep form,"Well, you never came back last night. 2D did briefly but he left soon after, I have no clue what he was saying. He was rambling about...something."  
"Mhm, he's got a thick accent." Meryn agreed, chuckling, "He's easy to understand after awhile though."  
"Yeah well," the book slammed shut,"Normally I'd scold you for running away from me but since I came back to Kong Studios last night I'll excuse it."  
Meryn shifted in bed rolling back over to shoot a sour lip puckered expression,"Ru you didn't..."

Silently a coy grin pulled at the corners of her cheeks, the dimples deeper than usual.

"Ugh," Meryn sniped, "He's like 40 and part reptile..."

Ruri shrugged nonchalantly.

"He looks like the more intelligent version of Grubber from the American Power Puff Girls. Remember the guy that's always like PBBBT--," she blew a raspberry trying her best at an impression, immediately she was cut off by the loud retort of Ruri now on her knees leaning onto the side of the mattress. "Stop comparing Murdoc to green villains from cartoons and reptiles!" She fell silent for a moment sitting back up with a serious look on her face, Meryn cracked a mischievous smile,"PBBBBBT." Another raspberry was blown this one was met with a hand covering her spitting mouth. Muffled, she continued to tease and bother Ruri. 

"Tch asshole,"sucking her teeth, Ruri looked off out the window,"It's yellow outside."  
"Ish always yullow outsyde," mumbled at the cracks of her best friends fingers in response.  
"Anyway enough about me," hand removed, she rested her head at the edge of the bed; black hair draping over her embarrassed face,"How've you been Meryn? Seriously?" She wore a shit-eating grin still thinking about Murdoc and her best friend of almost 4 years sleeping together,"I'm sorry, all I can think of is Grubber!" Snickering she tried her best to push the disturbing image away,"Things are fine I guess."  
"That's good," spoken through long strands of raven hair her breath pushed them causing them to open slightly like a curtain," Now on to the real question; what the hell were you planning to do all the way out here?"  
Shrugging Meryn pouted,"I was going to figure it out..." Dumbfounded, Ruri tossed the hair aside revealing the tart look of disapproval on her expressive features. "...Shea contacted me." Meryn started to explain trailing off in an annoyingly cryptic nature. Inquisitive, Ruri's brows rose,"How...is she?"

"She's...making it," folding her arms, she wished she could just go back to sleep without the forum. "How so?" The obvious question came to Meryn's annoyance; there was no good way of saying it,"You know how."  
Unsmiling, the usually upbeat Ruri's voice lowered, seeming to spiral at the realization,"I see...." After a moment she returned to normal; concern and suspicious her pointed eyes stared daggers," If you tell me you were going to do the same--"  
"Welp, you'd better slap me then." Meryn was so indifferent to such a serious topic it almost hurt. Wrenching away at the painfully cold answer, Ruri spoke up,"You're better than that, and so is she." No matter how she tried to act like it didn't bother her, it clearly did, Meryn could see it reflected in her disappointed honey eyes. Knowing Ruri this long, she'd become accustomed to disappointed her dear friend in more ways than one. Her choices always brought worry and her pride always brought pain to any and everyone that knew her. Meryn could spend time moping and hating herself but instead hardened herself to no longer feel the urge to make up for the numerous disappointments she was responsible for. The idea to hurt herself often came to mind, but she wouldn't never again. Pride wouldn't allow her to lose or to disqualify herself by cutting.

"--I know you two are similar but you don't need to put yourself in a similar situation to make her feel less lonely...for lack of better words..." Ruri's shoulders fell, dejected shaking her head in deep thought. Posture straightened, Meryn sat upright," Shea and I are different. If what happened to her instead happened to me..." She didn't want to imagine, Meryn knew herself well in that she wouldn't have been strong enough to make it. With a heavy sigh she spat it out,"I wouldn't be myself. I wouldn't be anyone anymore."  
"Both of you have been...raped and hurt by people..." Ruri was trying to make a point; resting her hand on Meryn's knee it was quickly pushed away. The word 'rape' never ceased to sting her ears; wincing she rejected the attempt. "My parents never hurt me."  
"No. But you HAVE been victimized Marin!--Look!" Her volume rose almost into a shout,"If Shea and I were cool then, I would have told her the same thing I'm telling you." Firm hands found their way onto trembling cheeks at the chattering of teeth behind full quivering lips. The bright brown eyes staring into her soul were impossible to look back into. 

"The things that happened don't define you; it's just a moment in time...One of many." The tips of Ruri's fingers grazed over skin searching Meryn's face in hopes of inspiring her, but unfortunately, vacant eyes finally looked back no longer avoiding contact. Sighing, the hands fell in defeat.  
"I didn't go through with it..." Came plainly, behind the numbness in her voice, she sounded almost regretful,"I pussied out after I got...well here." Arms raised from her dead form gesturing at the building in which she was lucky to be welcomed into. "Since I got the chance to stay at Kong, I wanted out at the last minute and Shea...well she didn't take it very well." Meryn leaned back onto her hands balancing her upper body with her arms,"I haven't heard from her since." Disgusted, Ruri put her head down, the weight of her head causing the mattress to sway,"I'm sorry Marin. I just don't understand how selling yourself would be O.K. on any plane...especially with what happened to you two."  
"It's for the best that you never understand Ru."

They'd had this conversation before; back when Shea stopped coming to school. Word of her spread like a wildfire; rumors ranged from the poor girl being kicked out of her home and engaging in compensated dating. For once; these rumors were true. One of the first people who'd accepted her was Shea; another foreigner who was quite popular with the boys. She was the only girl that was taller than Meryn and most of the boys standing at nearly 6ft(5'11). To Meryn, Shea was staggering; a thin small breasted girl with milky white skin, pointed nose, big autumn eyes and long copper hair. Other than herself and Ruri who halfway passed; Shea was the only other obviously non-Asian student. A stunning French Canadian girl who seemed to have everything going for her. Keyword being  _seemed._  The day she found Shea by herself at a children's park, it was clear that something was wrong. For a couple weeks, she stayed at the Kanno-Jakes residence at the consent of her grandparents.

Meryn would go to school and return home to Shea who would always be sitting jittery and tweaked out in the bed they shared. The caring and nurturing nature came out of her at times like this. _Love._  Unknown to her grandparents or Ruri, the times after she returned home was something that could never be forgotten for either of the young troubled girls. But without warning, she disappeared. Left confused and feeling used by the indefinitely sexually experienced enigma that was Shea; she'd fallen into a brief despair. The next Meryn had seen of her was her tail end being rammed into by some old businessman. Regarded as nothing but a whore by her parents and peers, eventually, Shea had become one. Two years went by, Meryn had moved on from her one-sided heartbreak; unfortunately to be overtaken by the betrayal of her own friends similar to the downfall Shea experienced years before from the student body. From adored to ignored; Meryn too fell. Skipping school, she ran into her again; old feelings resurfaced even at the unfamiliarity of the changed young woman she used to know. White skin became tanned, hair was no longer the beautiful red-brown hue and instead bleached to hell and back a platinum blond. Skinnier than before and undeniably groomed for a life on the streets. Although different, Shea was still herself and wrapped Meryn in her arms at the news of what had happened. She truly understood. At the end of it all, she'd introduced another reject similar to them both, Satomi. In the short time, the three of them spent together; they had bonded for life. But all dreams must end; Shea had up in disappeared again and soon after Satomi had disappeared herself. Permanently. 

Meryn's heart dropped wishing she hadn't let herself remember it all. Back to reality, Ruri now sat next to her silently on the bed slowly kicking her feet with a woeful look about her. "Anyway, what brought you to England?" She attempted to bring the mood up a bit hoping for a less heavy chat.  Eyes glued to the carpet, Ruri responded,"The Galla from yesterday. I'm trying to broaden my horizons and network a bit that's what Sol always said. But I leave tomorrow."   
"So," Meryn inquired trying to grasp the situation,"You actually just happened to find me by chance?"  
"Yup. No matter how much you run, I'll always find you eventually,"proud of herself, she smirked folding her arms over her chest.  
"Well, that's creepy."   
"Enough with the wisecracks Marin, you know what I meant." A big pause came without warning, warranting a slow turning glare,"Don't do it."  
_Too late._ Cheeks full of air, Meryn let out a loud raspberry,"PBBBBBBBBBBBBT!"  
Ruri rolled her eyes at the quip blowing out a smooth stream of air of exasperation.

 

* * *

  
Staring at the single piece of bread on a not so clean plate, 2D gradually began to frown at his breakfast biting his lower lip it was left uneaten. Russel, Murdoc, and Noodle all had their eyes on him but it went unnoticed drawn into the burnt ends of the crust. He sighed after some time holding his head. Seemingly out of nowhere a hand slammed onto the table across from him shaking his plate. Jerking his attention to the sudden movement, gloomy puffed up eyes met the biting glare of Murdoc. "Something happen last night Face-ache?" He was deadset on pestering him no matter what the situation was, 2D should have been accustomed to it, but today it was bothering him,"Nuthin' 'appened so stap pickin' at me, I'm frustrated this morning."  
"Ahhhh couldn't seal the deal huh--Don't worry old buddy there'll always be someone be some desperate slag to slob on your knob," a patronizing heavy hand patted at the marine colored hair atop his head. Rejecting the pity, 2D shook his head ridding himself of the taunt with the peevish snaggle-toothed snarl of his upper lip. Rising quickly, the seat pushed out from under him; exiting towering legs glided across the room at the door leaving everyone behind looking to each other in question.

"What was that about?" Russel wondered aloud, sliding over the plate that 2D had left behind.  
"He and Meryn are having a 'will they or won't they' type of relationship lately," Noodle chimed in; she shrugged scooting closer to the table resting her head in her arms. Nodding, Murdoc lit his morning cigarette bring it to his chapped lips,"Mmmn I thought as much." Smoke filled his lungs, being blown out after a deep inhale,"The idiot isn't smart enough to know when someone likes him. Doesn't help that the bird is out of his league." Thick clouds of smoke filled the air around him. "I thought you had your eyes set on her?" Russel question fanning the smoke away as it parted at the back of his head.  
"Well, I've moved on. Got a bit lucky last night hmmhnhnn," suggestive hums vibrated from his nicotine blackened lungs,"That girl Ruri was quite a good time, the best part about it she was already gone by the time I woke up!" Full on laughter chortled from Murdoc as he reminisced,"Had a cute little ram tattoo on above her bum; said she's an Aries."

"You liked that did you?"

From the hall, black hair could be seen as Ruri passed by. Murdoc chirped calling after her,"I did love! Let's do it again sometime!"  
"Uh huh if I feel like it," she peeked around the corner into the kitchen,"It was nice meeting you all! Tell 2D I said 'goodbye'!"   
"He's not important love, I keep telling you," the smoke burst from his mouth at his words. Rolling her eyes, she pouted,"You should be nice to him!" Looking to Noodle who had just lifted her head and Russel with a mouthful of toast she whispered behind her hand giggling,"He told me 2D was imperative to the Gorillaz success." "Heard that! And I have no recollection of that," he pushed the cigarette between his lips taking in small puffs and exhaling them out the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, sure." With that, she disappeared nodding to the quieted little girl and the hulkish man on her exit.  
"Ah! Shit forgot to ask her for her digits--," shrugging Murdoc smirked,"No matter, I'll just get it from Ryn later."

With a quick pace, Ruri came to the entrance; in the corner of her eye was the detached lead singer she hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to. He was completely still and didn't seem to notice that someone was there. "2D?" She spoke softly not wanting to scare or catch him off guard. His head turned at his name,"Leavin'?" Taking a couple steps towards him, she nodded,"I don't mean to pry but, is everything alright?"  
"Wha' makes yew say tha'?" Head tilted, he'd narrowed his eyes, unsure of her intent. "You just seem upset. Sorry if I bothered you..."kicking her foot, Ruri started to turn away. "Uh no, s'olright...Sorry jus wonderin' why yer tryna shoot tha' breeze wiff me," 2D tried to sound less aggravated, not wanting or meaning to be rude. Before he knew it, she disappeared from where she stood ending up beside him bouncing onto the couch,"Because you're clearly the love interest of my best friend." She spoke so plainly, it set him off,"Why do yew lot keep sayin' tha?" 2Ds voice wavered, at the defined frown cutting through his usual blank face. "I'm not trying to make you angry. I'm just telling you what I picked up on. Not from you, from 'Kat'," she was teasing him even if what she said was true. Mouth tilted, he couldn't help but ask,"Whaddya mean?"

"Obviously she likes you. Duh." Playfully she shoved at his arm, causing him to sway at the force. Dumfounded, 2D stared unsure of what to say,"D-Did Kat say tha'?" Rapidly, Ruri shook her head,"No, but I know her well enough. Plus, she told me about all the stuff that happened." Leaning in too close for comfort she sent 2D tilting backwards uncomfortable in her all-knowing eyes,"You know. The whole--," her hand in a jerking motion, the other imitating an explosion at the wriggling of her fingers. "PSHHHH!" Her hands clapped together and tore apart making firework noises her brow rose examining his discomfort closely. 2D shrank remembering it all,"Oh she told yew tha' yeah?"  
"The only reason I brought it up, is because the Meryn I know would hate you after that." Wincing at Ruri's words, his already sunken heart sank deeper in his chest. "But..," she drew out the statement revealing the truth of the matter," She doesn't hate you." 

From puzzled to elated, 2D stared stupidly back to the woman's claims. She laughed pushing herself up off the couch,"In fact, I'd wager to say you're the only kind of guy that could get away with a mistake like that. I'll leave it up to you to ponder why that might be." Turning on her heel she smiled down at him heading back for the door,"It was really cool meeting you all. Good luck 2D." As quickly as she said that, the door opened and closed behind her leaving him there to think. He swallowed staring down at the floor; his left hand stroked the stubble he'd still neglected to shave on his chin. Her words were encouraging; even with his reasons for not pursuing the young woman in question. He knew himself well; ever since the Paula Cracker incident, he'd found it hard to legitimately put himself into a relationship. Sex wasn't a problem, it was letting himself be vulnerable or rather feeling anything remotely romantic at all. The time he had to himself he indulged in woman after woman; after awhile they were all the same just girls who'd thrown themselves at him despite his cheesy pickup lines. Licking his lips; he knew he would have to understand why he had grown to enjoy women more for sex than companionship. 2D hadn't the capacity to demean or look down on women. He respected them; he was just unable to believe any of them would stick around for long haul so why try at all?  Rising from the floor, his vision honed in on the cyan walls of the front room making him think of the sky on a clear day. Humming a random tune he made up on the spot, the low pitch of his voice went smoothly with the dour feeling weighing down his mind. 

Chewing the lower lip, he brought himself to stand. Stuck in his head, he walked off to nowhere in particular. Spaced out he hadn't noticed Meryn pass him by in the hall; she said nothing and crept on by into the kitchen. Her eyes were drawn to him but he was focused; she'd never seen him so detached before. Looking elsewhere she left him be taking refuge in the kitchen. Murdoc was the only one there with her. _  
Russel and Noodle must've up and gone already. _Brown eyes met the dark and red tired eyes of Murdoc. Out of the corner of his eye, he acknowledged her,"Ryn. Let me ask you something, would you still like our 2D if you knew something about him that he's kept a secret?"  
"That's random...," Meryn rose a brow, unable to deny being curious.

"Did he tell you he fathered some kids?" Crossing his arms he leaned against the counter with a snort. She blinked taken back a bit,"R-Really? But why are you telling me this?" Murdoc could've just been saying that to bother her, but something about the way he stood so sure and confident told her he was telling the truth. "Dunno really--Just say Uncle Murdy s looking out for you."   
"That's even more suspicious Murdoc." Looking away in disbelief she leaned onto the door frame, glancing at 2D as he rounded the corner heading upstairs.  _Where's he going?_ Ignoring whatever else Murdoc had to say, she started after him up the stairs, his form disappeared at the top of the steps as if heading toward her room. Curious, she hopped from step to step peering at the top of the stairs at him around the corner; he stood there silent for a moment, slowly his fist raised knocking on the door. Swallowing, Meryn came around carefully walking up to him unsure of the person standing at her door. He turned to meet her fleeting gaze; almost immediately she looked away at the floor. A bit confused, he scratched his head,"I was lookin' f'yew..." Something was off that he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Yeah you walked past me earlier, but you seemed serious so I didn't bother you." Her voice was different than usual; there was something behind it this time. Blinking, 2D furrowed his brows,"Somefing on yer mind, love?"

"Heh, guess you can read me a little huh D?" Taciturn, Meryn held her arm behind her back grasping her wrist, shifting in unease. Who cares if he had kids with some girls? He's the frontman of a band, of course, he'd been around the block a couple times.  _So what?_ Shaking her head, she pushed through against her better judgment. 2D seemed off himself, melancholy almost. From trembling lips, she asked,"So, I was wondering...Do you have any kids?" She swallowed doing as best a smile as she could. However, the moment she asked, 2D became fish-eyed stiffening at the question. He was looking at her, but it felt more like he was looking through her. A chill ran down her spine," Sorry, I shouldn't have believed what Murdoc said."

"I do. Six or seven I fink." Bluntly blurted out from his detached expressionless face. A little surprised at how frank he as being, Meryn looked perplexed blinking in disbelief,"You...think?"  
"Yeah, I fink."

"O-Oh...what're their names?" She tried to salvage the moment, not understanding why he wouldn't know the number of children he fathered. To no avail, it seemed nothing would make this right. His head turned away from her looking off to his side,"I donno." Sighing at the short reply, elongated arms folded across his chest; 2D was prickly and the reason why became known after a moment. She guessed it,"Oh from one night stands I take it..." Heavy-headed, nearly silly nods started up, the rocking of his head disguising the forlorn hurt look on his face, quickly he turned away. Hand placed on her door, he sighed deeply,"S'wot yer probably finkin', I'm sort'f a dead beat dad. Doesn't sound real good I know, but now yer up t'speed." 

"Oh..O.K." From behind he could hear the judgment in her voice. What did she think of him now?   
"Hmmm," he hummed pushing his weight off the door, head lowered he started off down the hall away from her,"Forgot wha' I wanted t'say, I'll fink it up later Kat." A hand lifted to touch his shoulder, but it was too late," Kay...I'm sorry D." Dejected she guilted herself for asking in the first place if he needed to tell her he would've on his own terms right? But then why did something about this ordeal bother her?  _He's just a physical person maybe._ There was nothing wrong with that, but it seemed the man she had been crushing on for the past month and a half had a complicated string of relationships that he didn't take part in when it came to bringing children into the world. In the end, men really were typical, and 2D was no exception. It was just the way guys were.

_6 or 7? His child support payments must be ridiculous..._

The new year was soon approaching, in two weeks it'd be 2006. Sucking on her bottom lip, she turned the knob of her door, stepping inside.

A floor below, Russel entered the kitchen brushing past Murdoc who stood finishing up his fifth cigarette. "Why'd you tell her that Muds?" The man shrugged on his reply,"Just speeding up the rejection process." Balling a large fist, Russel slammed it onto the counter,"It wasn't for you to say. That was up to D to do IF he wanted to try with her." Blank-faced, the satanic man cared not,"Either way, it would have ended up the same. Besides I'm just helping the little fool out telling Ryn the bad news for him. It'd be annoying watching this little back and forth any longer anyhow. Best to nip it in the bud while its small." Pearly eyes closed in disappointment,"Nah- You just like messin' things up for him."

"Hmph," Murdoc sneered,"Maybe that too."


	16. To Be Wanted

The next two weeks, whatever they were was nonexistent. A little small talk here and there but nothing otherwise. 2D had snapped back to his usual self; carefree and rather gung-ho about mundane things, the only difference was how he kept Meryn at arms reach. The whole situation had made her cheeky and sardonic. Day by day she'd watch him go about his day like normal; like a dunce tripping over himself or strumming along in his room scribbling lyrics down sloppily as they came to mind. It was as if he'd reverted back to how things were before Amelia.  No; worse. He'd never outright rejected speaking to her. It made trying to communicate painful and after a while, she wondered why she was even trying. Long faced she sat watching him from where he sat today; 2D had made himself comfortable on the couch where they'd watched a horror flick nearly 2 months prior. It was amazing how time had flown and how the circumstances were constantly changing. Meryn could only see the top of his head; bluish-purple hair sprung out from his scalp in prominent spikes. She'd watched him casually run his flick-comb through a tuft of hair a moment ago.  
  
Disgusted with herself, Meryn hopelessly walked off, letting go of the corner she had held for the sole purpose of stalking him in their own home. So badly she wanted to barrel in their and surprise him; smiling she imagined how it would all play out. Meryn would either poke him or cover his eyes and 2D would yelp in sheer terror. The smile melted away at the how that would end. Right now, he probably wouldn't laugh it off; in the long run, it'd just make things more awkward than they already were. Perking herself up, at least something fruitful had come of her pathetic stalking; tonight he was going out for New Year's Eve. The person that Meryn had become in this short amount of time was embarrassing to say in the least; and yet she would proudly attend the exact same party completely by coincidence. Coincidence, that what she decided she would say if he caught her. Or rather WHEN he caught her. That was fine after she wanted to be noticed; that was the best case scenario in her whole convoluted plan.  
  
Creeping from step to step, she quietly made her way back upstairs; Meryn had prepared for this night in the most teenage angst movie manner, with time to prepare she'd found a cute little black dress that came above the knee. The rest came naturally. The day quickly became night in preparation.  
Strawberry red gloss lined her lips; with a pop, she distributed the color evenly. Leaning away to look at herself Meryn checked every angle for perfection. Anything short wouldn't be accepted tonight when she needed to be noticed. A slow genuine smile crept across her face; it was as close to a model as she would ever look. Not often did she let her hair go naturally; purple flowery bundles of wispy locks came ruffled like vines grazing over her shoulders every so often. Although she'd lost a bit of length; it looked good to her surprise. The dark dress fit nicely; long sleeved and covering the hefty amount of cleavage she stuffed into the fabric it snug to her waist and chest and fanning out itself like a flower dipped in ink. Going with the theme she sported floral tights and thin heeled shoes about 3 inches in height. Her hands gently smoothed out the dress' petal-like pleats; it stopped mid-thigh, as she turned in the mirror she smiled like a starry-eyed child watching her Cinderella transformation at the dancing of the pleats at her thighs.  
  
 Satisfied with her appearance; Meryn threw the things she'd most likely need in her purse, her lipstick for reapplication, cell phone, a little roller ball bottle of perfume that smelled of amber creme and her wallet of course. Pausing for a second, she thought it best to bring along the pocket knife that was tucked away in her underwear drawer. No one knew of where she was going, and worse case scenario she would need it. Tossing on her coat she looked herself in the mirror one last time, she smirked in awe of how far she'd gone to have anything to do with 2D in their extended silence.The clock struck 10:00 P.M., an hour past the time she overheard 2D agreeing to meet someone. Quietly she opened the door twisting the knob and peering out down the hallway. It was quiet today, Noodle hadn't come out of her room at all and Russel had occupied himself with the taxidermy hog he'd been tinkering with for some time now. The real reason for the silence was the absence of Murdoc who refused to spend the day with them disappearing at the break of dawn off with some groupies he'd gotten to know.  
  
 Sighing, Meryn held herself confidently walking down the steps with no one stopping or inquiring her for where she was off to. At the entrance, the door practically flew open off the hinges at the gust of wintry wind that blasted in from the small crack she opened; shuddering she quickly exited closing the door behind her. Turned to face the door she bundled herself up for the cold, buttoning and fastening every possible feature on the trench, the hood flew over her head without touching it thanks to the blustery wind of the late December air. The sound of an arriving car came from behind as she faced the door huddling for warmth. Before the driver could honk at his arrival, Meryn skipped on her heels to the car bouncing in place to keep warm. Surprised at her speed, the driver unlocked the back seat; instantaneously she dove in slamming the door shut. Teeth chattering she forced a smile," Thanks, f-for coming so quickly." Fishing into her coat pocket, she retrieved the address to the loft 2D would be at this evening,"Here's the address."  
  
On her arrival; the first thing Meryn noticed was the doorman fixed at the door eyeing all the party goers. "Shit...," she mumbled under her breath at the driver opening her door. Getting in wasn't all the way thought through, she could probably just mention 2D and be granted entry but then he'd know she stalked him here. Determined to at least try she walked over clanking her heels loudly and proudly past the line of people. The baffled burly doorman grinned at her stride,"Woah. What's your name missy?"  
 "Why do you need to know?"  
Amused he placed his hands on his knees becoming eye level with her,"Because I need to check if your name is on the list. If it isn't you can still get in, at a price or for a favor."  
  
_Of course.  
  
  _Without saying anything she unbuttoned her coat, at the quick pull of her dress, exposed breasts were hit by the freezing cold air,"Is that good enough?" Flabbergasted, the man laughed bellowing loudly at her bold movements,"Whoever you are, you'll fit in just fine!" Wiping a tear from his eye, the man nodded in approval,"Go ahead. And nice set you've got there."  _I can't believe that worked._  With a semi bashful smile, Meryn adjusted her dress to recover her personal bits. Never in her life did she expect to be whoring her way into an invite only party. She half expected the man to trick her and not let her in regardless, but apparently door stops DID work like in the movies. Disapproving gripes of disgust came from behind from the women and men who had been waiting for a long period of time. Meryn didn't blame them, she didn't like her actions either. With a polite nod, she walked past the doorman inside. Immediately it was hard to see; the flashing red lights from above hit the walls like strobe lights making the silhouettes of people appear to move in slow motion. Frozen there it felt like time was stopping and starting. A tap came at her shoulder; her heart nearly burst from her chest in fear of being found this soon. Her eyes filled with fright turned to face a tall man who was surprised as she was,"Sorry-I'm just supposed to take everyone's coats wh-whats your name?" Apologetic she waved her hands,"Oh I'm sorry, it's um Katherine." Somehow using her first name seemed like a bad idea, she knew no one here, except 2D of course but it wasn't time for him to discover her presence yet. Although Katherine is close to the nickname he gave her, 2D had called her 'cat' prior to knowing that. Meryn doubted he would remember that or suspect anything of it if he became aware of her possible presence. Head reeling, she removed her trench handing it off to the gentleman. He offered a smile,"It's O.K. we gave each other a fright. No worries."   
  
Once he'd walked off, Meryn acquainted herself with the layout of the building. It was spacious but homey. Sensual music played loudly but not too loud. The hum of chatter could still be heard even with the music. Making no sudden or obvious movements, she slowly walked her way through the crowd coming up to an open bar. Mostly men were seated, the few that noticed her made attempts to beckon her over. Eyes focusing on the floor she avoided eye contact walking past as quickly as she could. In about 10 minutes she came full circle, in the main area. Towards the back were dark hallways the people disappeared into in pairs. This place and the bathrooms were the only rooms she hadn't searched. Looking at all the beautiful faces, she began to feel lonely. What Meryn wanted more than anything was to be greeted by the familiar dorky face that used to make her smile. Instead, she was alone here even with all the people that surrounded her. Her breathing quickened in panic; holding her chest she pushed into the women's room placing her hands on the sink. Looking up at her reflection she breathed deeply calming herself.  _All you have to do is find him. And...and what?_ Closing her eyes, she went back and forth on whether to keep her presence a secret and just retreat home or to get out there and confront him. Deep breathing filled the room, bouncing from wall to wall. Luckily there was no one else inside to witness her little breakdown. On the final sigh, Meryn turned for the door pushing it open slowly.   
  
Standing just outside the door, she spotted a recognizable figure standing leaning against the wall near the bar. There he was, but 2D wasn't alone. Two random girls were hanging off of him. Meryn drew closer being careful to stay out of his line of sight; upon closer inspection he was drunk, his eyes were half open and his tongue was practically hanging out of his mouth. From across the room, she examined his movements; swaying from side to side he could barely hold himself up on the wall.   
  
"Uh excuse me?" An unknown voice spoke softly into her ear. Too concerned to care who was addressing her, Meryn turned her head coming face to face with a good looking chiseled man. Trying to seduce her with a look, he flashed a smile,"I hope I didn't scare you. I was wondering if I could get you something to drink?" Her head swung back to 2D wanting nothing to do with whoever this man was. Thunderstruck, he was gone. How had he gotten elsewhere in such a short amount of time? Curiosity abounds, she forgot all about the man beside her. Walking off on her own Meryn confronted the bartender,"Hi did you see where the tall man that was standing here went?" Continuing to shake the drink in hand, the bow-tied man didn't even bother to look her in the eye,"You mean 2D from Gorillaz? He went off with some girls to the back."  
  
Eyes shot to the hallway closest to the bar, peering into the darkness she narrowed her eyes focusing in trying to evolve into a higher species with night-vision. To confirm the bartender's words, a light came from the end of the hall at the opening of a door on the far right; it was definitely him, 2D was violently shoved into the room by the two girls walking him. Before Meryn had time to register what was happening the door closed engulfing the hall in darkness once again.   
  
Her head fell at the sight, her little plan falling apart as she stood there sulking. After what felt like a long time, Meryn went to sit at the bar hanging her head in sorrow. The seat beside her was occupied by another downcast looking fellow, he noticed her sitting up straight in his seat,"Can I buy you that drink now?"  
  
"Oh, it's you again. Sorry about earlier, I was looking for someone but--," her hand waved dismissing thoughts of 2D,"Anyway yeah I could really use that drink." Putting on as cute a smile as she could she batted her lashes. If nothing else, she would have someone pay attention to her tonight. He smiled back holding his hand up to the bartender she'd spoken to before. He eyed the both of them,"What'll it be?"   
  
"Martini," Meryn spoke up smiling so hard her eyes appeared to have shut entirely. Taken back the man nodded,"Make that two."  
  
Time went by, the music playing worsened her mood. It was relaxing but something in it reminded her that even now she was alone. The man beside her had been speaking but she drowned it out after the 7th glass. There was a way to fix this; olive in mouth, Meryn crushed it between the roof of her mouth a tongue,"Heeey. You want to sleep with me right?" Astounded, he placed his glass on the bar,"Uh I mean yeah but--"  
"But? You don't want meee?"  
"T-That's not it! I'm just surprised I guess...you got straight to the point." His eyes were studying her carefully from head to toe.  
"Kay then!" Jumping off the stool, Meryn stammered a little in her heels. "Careful!," he caught her worrying that she might fall. A bit thrown off he stood to his feet,"Are you sure about this?"  
  
Enamored, she smiled slurring at the end of her words,"You're sweet to ask....buuuuut I'm suuuure." Hands worked their way around his neck pulling him into a light kiss. He was shaken by how bold she'd been from the start. Pulling away, the man slapped a couple large bills onto the bar top tipping the tender and with a bright expression, and then he was leading her towards the hall. Clumsily she bumped into a tall man exiting the hallway; too buzzed to apologize her partner for the night did for her. "Sorry, she's had a little to drink." The man waved returning to guide Meryn to one of the many rooms.  
  
"S'no problem...," 2D mumbled a bit too late. She was already at the end of the hall, disappearing into the room across the hall from where he'd just left.

* * *

  
No doubt about it, that was definitely Meryn. 2D had sobered up after he ruined his chance of a threesome, the girls were too rowdy for someone who had drunk as much as he did. They found that out the hard way being drenched in his stomach contents. The expelling of all the alcohol in his system brought him back around; it was a good feeling until he recognized her. She had dolled herself up, dressed to kill and out on a mission to bed some lucky guy. Sitting in the very same place she had been moments before, 2D held his head,"S'cuse me could I get somefing fruity, anyfing will do."  
"Back so soon? Here, have a daiquiri, I made too many." The large glass slid in front of 2D, served with a smile," By the way, there was a girl here not too long ago that was looking for you earlier." Interest piqued, 2D met the bartender's gaze,"What'd she look loike?"   
"A cute girl with curly hair, really ya know...," he motioned to his own chest rounding out two plentiful protrusions. "I want to say she has brown eyes but its hard to tell with the lighting in here." Disregarding the straw, he took several gulps drinking away the unease that caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up."Wuz she O.K. t'consent?" 2D asked at the end of his binge. The bartender chuckled,"Yeah she was the one that initiated the whole thing, the dude she was talking to was really lucky." Drinking the rest, he wiped his mouth swallowing the last drop,"Got an ashtray?"

Wordlessly, the entertained bartender reached under to retrieve one; placing it in front of the distraught lead singer who could have anyone he wanted yet chose to sit here drinking his problems away. Another drink slid in front of him; lighting a cigarette with his free hand 2D inhaled deeply, taking up almost half the stick. It went bright yellow and gray soon after, long fingers tapped the cigarette against the ashtray; the gray half fell at his exhale. Swallowing the beverage quickly, he shook reeling at the brain freeze. Bearing his teeth together, he waited for the pain to subside. The moment it passed, his face went blank,"Could yew add a bit moar liquah? Not really feelin' the buzz."

2D wasn't sure when he drifted off to sleep; one minute he was drinking engaging in small talk with the bartender the next everything went black. He awoke to the sound of counting. Eyes peeling open, the bartender had left; peering to his right the bar was cleared. From behind him, everyone stood in the center with glasses of champagne, he'd swiveled around to see them all raising their glasses and holding their significant others.

"5, 4, 3, 2--" The countdown neared the end.  
  
"One!" Was yelled into his ear, inducing shock and immediate flailing of his arms and legs. Sunken in eyes jolted to his left. Meryn smiled inches from his face,"Happy New Year D." 2D hadn't expected to see her the rest of the night, he flung backward on the verge of falling off the bar stool. She held two glasses of champagne, extending one to him. For some reason, he found it hard to look Meryn in the eye. Her appearance was disheveled, it looked like she had a rough time, but the smile she wore said that she perhaps liked being roughed up a bit. Her hair was a bit wild, the dress lop-sided exposed a bit of cleavage. Gulping he leaned forward fixing her dress. She blinked, surprised he would put his hands anywhere near her chest. The fabric in between his fingers was soft and velvety. Her purse hung by the strap between her breasts.  
Upon his release, her bosom bounced in place now mostly covered. It was mesmerizing, in his drunken stupor his eyes flew to the glass he neglected to take. Silently he accepted it taking a quick sip; Meryn, on the other hand, downed the entire glass licking her lips at the drops that nearly escaped her,"Hey D? Wanna play a game? A bunch of people are supposed to be participating--" She was talking so fast, he could barely keep up; 2D placed his glass down looking a bit concerned," Meryn no one dosed yew rioght? M-Maybe we should 'ead back t'Kong...?"

He returned his eyes to Meryn but she was no longer there; a glimpse of her disappeared around the corner. Heavily groaning, 2D lifted himself from the bar stool trudging after her, wanting to make sure no one took advantage. It was easier to find her than he thought. Stopping in his tracks, he B-lined for to where she stood holding a small piece of paper that she'd picked out from a bowl. Noticing the man peering over her shoulder she crumpled it up,"No cheating!" 2D had no idea what was going on; his voice flat and devoid of any playful notes groaned aloud,"Olright olright...after this were goin' 'ome. Yew get me?" Meryn was bouncing in place like a rabbit,"Kay!" People nearby dug through the bowl retrieving little pieces of paper themselves, unfamiliar with whatever game he'd agreed to play, his eyes narrowed sifting around in the bowl. The number he lifted out lay flat in his palm. 6.

Cocking his head, he shrugged,"What is this Kat?"  
"Dunno."  
"Yew don't?" His head tilted back in disbelief,"Kat..."  
"Meow?"  
Before 2D could laugh or scold her for being so careless, numbers were called out. Whatever the game was, they'd find out soon enough.

"Alright everyone who wants to play got a number? Good, then we're gonna start with all the blokes, when your number is called you go into the corresponding door." Flickering the light on in the long hallway lined with rooms, numbers were all over the doors. "Alright, ladies close your eyes and turn away from the hall, lets keep this far! Fellas head to your door."Meryn closed her eyes turning away from him obediently too drunk to question what game she was taking part in. Shaking his head, 2D thought it best to play along and just get it over with. Making his way for the door marked number 6, he looked back down the hall landing on the drunken girl who insisted he play. Eyes full of worry, he entered the door, the room falling in darkness as it closed from behind.

 

Heavy brown eyes opening, she looked around. He had gone. Uncrumpling the paper in her hand, it displayed the number 6. Her lip was bitten to hell throughout the night; right now more than anything. Maybe she should have listened and just gone home like 2D had suggested. The game she'd urged him to play became known after some thought. By the giggling of girls around her eagerly awaiting which door they'd get it was obvious. It was some version of seven minutes in heaven but done anonymously.  _Great._ Just another way to get him laid by some eager girl. On top of that, she'd already been ridden once tonight herself. Regret took over; but there was no point in trying to look for him now, 7 minutes would be up soon anyway. Holding her arms close to her chest, Meryn lifelessly murmured under her breath,"Stupid bitch." Her feet drew forward, walking down the hall straight-faced and suddenly exhausted she reached the door. Number 6.

Taking a quick breath, she entered the room immediately closing the door behind her. Everything was silent. Too silent. Was there a guy in here at all? Maybe whoever it was had bailed. Hopeful, she took careful steps forward holding out her arms to feel anything nearby. For what felt like several minutes, she felt nothing. She reached the other side of the room and no one had made their presence known. A sigh of relief huffed from her lips, leaning forward she banged her head against the wall. From her immediate left, a rustling sound came; eyes struck with fear Meryn stood up straight facing whoever was near. Heightened senses allowed her to hear the breaths of the other person; once it reached her something about it was familiar.  _Cigarettes and cologne._   _No way._ Narrowing her eyes she tried as hard as she could to see the figure of the person now standing directly in front of her _._  
Her eyes failed her, she could see nothing. If her inkling was correct, she would use her other senses to confirm. On the offset chance that it was, in fact, 2D; it was worth a try.

He stood there unsure of what to do, and fairly certain that whoever was with him was having a panic attack. Scrunching his face, he thought of something to say. Mouth ajar, he started but--

At the unknown touch of warm hands against his face, he stopped and his eyes went wide at the closeness of someone inches away. Warm alcoholic breath and perfume filled his senses and before he knew it, it all stopped at the joining of some woman's lips against his own. It was different from the other slew of girls he'd been with, wholeheartedly lips locked together fitting perfect no matter which way she turned. A spark that 2D couldn't describe had him yearning for more; letting his hands do what they wanted, they found themselves wrapping around the small of her back pulling her closer. She hitched against his mouth swooning until she went limp in his arms. Smiling against her mouth he chuckled feeling the weight shift against him; the undeniable laughter was all Meryn needed to confirm who had her. Fiery and electrified, she sprung back to life drawing away for a breath. What followed was an ongoing conversation of movements and touch; like her life depended on it she rose to her toes mashing her lips to his clinging on for dear life. Possessive feminine hands grazed across his face, caressing the bottom of his jaw pulling him ever closer and deeper.

 Deeper he fell into her. 2D enraptured in a feeling he had never felt before, came alive grasping and pulling at her body in desperation to be with whoever she was. Both drawing away for a breath, they simultaneously came back to each other lips clinging and smacking at every tilt of their heads. Her mouth opened lapping at his own for entry and he answered with his own greeting. Both became unhinged at the mouth; lapping, tongues dancing, sliding, sucking, kissing. Into his mouth, a muffled moan fluttered and needing to breathe Meryn gasped out. Seconds later she was pinned against the wall. Her heart was beating so fast it felt like she would die at any given moment. Surprisingly strong hands held her there and her head tilted up at the slightest of touches. Knobby fingers grabbed her a little firmer, wrenching her head up to him. Breathing heavily her eyes were wild; even in the darkness, he could feel the intensity emitting from this woman. He had to have her, not to sleep with but to hold. Without warning he locked lips with her again pulling her into another heated kiss; eager hands grazed his shoulders trailing their way up, her arms wrapped around his neck. In full bliss, his head was unable to keep up.

 Wanting very much for this moment to be real; he held on, fingers in her hair pressed against her scalp afraid she would let go. Caught in each other's grasp, latched at the mouth, tongues swirling in and around each other's now swelling lips. Her body was pulled forward to press against his own. Imperfect teeth bit lightly on her full bottom lip, sucking it gently at every open mouthed tussle. The soft tender feeling of a yearning woman made his heart beat twice as fast. Against each other this close, each others pulse could felt beating almost in sync. Another breath; and they reverted back to clinging to each other. It was the single most romantic thing that had happened in either of their lives and yet it wasn't enough. To his surprise, the delicate fingertips that laced behind his neck trailed down his chest grazing over the button-down shirt he wore. The buttons seemed to come undone in the heat of the moment by her simply willing it. Light impulsive glides of her fingertips slid under his shirt moving to attempt removing it. He swallowed hard pulling away briefly panting and inwardly kicking himself for stopping her. Stronger hands held her wrist moving it away. Meryn's hand dropped to her side a bit thrown off and confused. In a few deep breaths, he'd grabbed her once again, fingers caressing and outlining her lips. Her eyes closed taking in his hesitant touch, breathing in his aura. Up in the clouds, she could feel it all happening slowly. Perhaps because she had been drinking. Or was it just finally being touched by someone she actually longed for after so long. The fingers left, being replaced with soft pecks at her tender bitten lips. Her tongue flitted playfully, hoping he'd take the opportunity to join in. A low chuckle and he gave in to the back and forth of exchanging saliva.

Two heavy knocks broke the trance. "One minute left!" Shouted out from behind the door.

They froze. His fingers had found their way back to her hair; milometers away she breathed softly brushing against his lips. 2D had become fond of her, whoever she was, his lids lowered knowing the time would soon be over. Meryn licked her lips pulling away; her lashes fluttered at the realization that this had to end. Tight-lipped she gulped as the urge to cry took over. Even though she had him now, their relationship was still in tatters. 2D's head hung bumping against her forehead. They stayed there like that the remainder of the time. Slowly his hands fell from her head, tickling her jawline as they were falling. On her shoulders, he kept them there momentarily grasping tightly before letting go. Backwards he drew, step by staggering step. Everything welled up inside, overflowing from her eyes. Meryn held her breath at the voices outside counting down; in no time at all, they'd gotten to 'one'.

* * *

 

 

 

The ride back was quiet. 2D and Meryn sat on the opposite sides of the backseat. There were many things he wanted to ask. How and when did she end up there? Did she follow him? Did she see him with the two women who'd dragged him off into one of the room? Staring out the window he refused to look in her direction. Meryn did the same. Consciousness drifted off; in dreams of what had just happened and the only other person who had made her feel anywhere near this safe, Shea. Time went by quickly before either of them knew it they were back at Kong. Quickly glancing over to Meryn, 2D wondered who she ended up with during the surprisingly hot and heavy game he took part in. Considering how eager she was to play it, she must've...moved on to other men by now. She had two men in one night. He definitely couldn't judge her as he'd done this before. Still, a part of him was jealous at the thought of her with another man. A frown came forth on his bothered expression; subconsciously his arms had folded and his leg had crossed over the other. His head tilted back onto the seat; ignoring the glare from the driver who clearly wanted them out of the car. It was fine if she was with other people, after all, he'd made it abundantly clear that he was no good for her. She probably wanted something beautiful, and he wasn't capable of that. "Ahem!," the driver cleared his throat loudly getting a narrow-eyed look of annoyance from 2D. "Ol'right ol'right don't get yer knickers in a twist...," he hoarsely complained loud enough to hear. Reaching across the backseat, he nudged Meryn's sleeping body,"C'mon Kat, let's get yew t'bed lil' drunka'd." Helping her out of the car she nearly tripped over her own feet, to his surprise he caught her before she could fall over,"Careful now."

The door opened; everything was as they'd left it. Quiet and desolate. Immediately upon entering the building, Meryn used his shoulder to keep her balance. Irritated she tore the heels from her feet tossing them aside to God knows where. He watched perplexed wondering if he should pick them up and add them to coat and purse he carried inside for her; she'd almost forgotten her own things on the way out and ended up holding onto them for her on the way out. While he was thinking she stumbled off wobbling from side to side down the hall leaving him there. Deciding quickly 2D draped the coat over his shoulder and hung the purse from the other chasing after her, extending a hand for her to trek the stairs. She was still quite drunk so it seemed. It became prevalent at the last step as she went limp falling forward. On edge, 2D held out his arm catching her just before she hit the floor. His forearm balanced her unconscious form from underneath parting her breasts. Heavily sighing he positioned himself to lift her; her body fell backwards head landing on his chest. Panting in exhaustion 2D looked down at her sleeping blissfully unaware of how difficult it was to carry the dead weight of someone AND their belongings after a night of drinking. Perturbed he did what he could lifting her up bridal style. It was becoming funny to him even; trying to complete the simple task of getting this passed out woman to her room 7 feet away. 2D snorted in laughter and gave up dragging her lifeless body to the door his arms around her stomach, pulling as gentle as he could he managed to get her in front of the door. With one arm he held her and with the other, he turned the knob pushing the door open. 

Waving his hand around while balancing her weight he eventually managed hit the light switch. Of course, her room was a mess; clothes thrown all over and underwear hanging out of her ajar drawer. "Ol'right love c'mon!,"picking her back up he quickly stumbled over articles of clothing with his lengthy clumsy legs. Just reaching the bed he tripped over a pair of boots sending him falling forward with her onto the mattress. The coat fell to the floor along with her purse at their drop. Spastically, 2D scrambled to get off of her without touching her too much; at his feet he held his arms high as if she'd wake up and accuse him of groping her body as she slept. He sweat bullets plopping down next to her momentarily to gather up the stamina it would take to then drag himself to his own room. Starless space eyes glanced down at her body splayed onto the bed; her breathing was light and deep, the rising and falling of her chest began to hypnotize him. If he could he'd fall asleep with her, but trailing down he noticed her dress had hiked up in the process of getting her this far. Lacy red panties stared curved at the shape of her hips. Meryn in her sleep turned over completely on her back; with a full-on view of lace and vulva, 2D jumped back to his feet shaking the bed at his absence. Carefully he picked up the pleat of her dress, wrenching his eyes away he pulled it down to cover up what would possibly cause him to pop a boner. "Phew!," turned away he patted the rest of the dress back in place; awkwardly he made his way for the door glancing back his swollen bottom lip throbbed at his own anxious biting habit. She lay there in slumber catching up on the sleep she desperately needed. With a nod, 2D left her be wobbling out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Ah!" He remembered; re-opening the door he flicked the switch off. "Night, Kat...," the door creaked shut leaving her in the safety of her room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *heart flutters*


	17. Windmill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ughhh just two more chapters and Phase 2 will finally be complete. This'll be a light chapter, the next not so much annnd the one after not at all.

January 1st, 2006  
  
  
  
The sound of chirping outside was relentless this morning in particular; to Meryn who'd shamelessly gotten drunk and slept with a guy at random the otherwise tranquil noise was extremely annoying. Face scrunched and lip snarling she sat up with a dead look in her eyes. Last night's dress was wrinkled due to the tossing and turning she'd no doubt had last night. With a gulp and sigh, her head fell knowing well that she'd be paying for this the rest of the day. Slowly her hand reached into her hair to feel the wild tumbleweed of hair that was mashed and tangled in her slumber.   
  
"Hm?" For some reason, her mouth tasted like cigarettes.  _Cigarettes..._  
Like a ton of bricks, the events came back to her at random. Parts of the night were out of place or hazy. Hands placed on her knees, Meryn racked her brain to think. She did the unthinkable; stalking the lead singer of a band as a full-on cliche. The dress, her hair, her makeup; all once looked good. As she recalled it, really good. Embarrassed she held her head pulling the hair that would cooperate onto her face as if to shield herself.  _How the hell did I end up in my room? Where's my purse? Coat? Shoes? Oh._  
  
The questions were answered with a simple look to the floor. Biting the corner of her lip, she put two and two together; 2D must've brought her back. There was zero recollection of walking up the stairs, had he carried her? The thought both flushed her cheeks and caused her head to pulsate, marking the beginning of a hangover that'd likely last the duration of the day. Legs swung over the edge of the bed knocking over the purse that was set upright at her feet. On a count of 3 she lifted herself up, joints and bones popping at simple movements. Irritated with having to do anything all, Meryn slumped out of her dress letting it drop the floor around her feet. Tripping over any and everything on the floor she eventually made it to the bathroom. The corner of her eye caught a glimpse of what she looked like. Eyeliner smeared, mascara starting to run and lips that appeared to be stained red. Brows rose and fell at her own reflection on her way to the toilet. She looked like shit but nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
She'd lazily sat down to empty her bladder when her eyes suddenly widened; she found herself wanting to do a double take. The second she finished and washed her hands she stared herself down in the mirror. Her mouth smelled like cigarettes, hell her clothes did too. There was a faint smell of cologne and her lips appeared to have been made red by means other than lip application.  _Did I...? With...? 2D?_  
Straight-faced she stared at herself dumbfounded and full of doubt stern on all her features. She had slept with some guy, but 2D had walked off with couple groupies. Hadn't he?   
  
Gradually it came back to her as it all happened. Her behavior last night was more humiliating than she earlier recalled. But...  
Meryn's entire face flushed. Her own trembling fingertips grazed over her lips wanting to remember exactly what it felt like. The dumbest of smiles pulled at her cheeks only to fade away wondering what she would need to do next. If it happened, it would be best to talk about it with the person whom she had swapped spit.   
  
Without warning loud thunderous rumbling and booming shook the foundation of Kong Studios; surprised and confused she fell to the bathroom floor hitting her head on the tub directly behind her. Sharp ringing pain struck at the thud of her skull. Vulgar words were bitten down as hard as possible,"Fuuuuu--ssshitttttttt!" Holding the back of her poor aching head, she stood to her feet walking to the door and practically tearing it off the hinges in annoyance. Eyes searching around, the only thing in her room that had changed was the daylight that no longer shone in. Stomping and dragging her feet Meryn placed her hands on the window sill peering out to see what in God's name had happened.   
  
_What in God's name indeed..._  
  
All that could be seen was a large plot of land that definitely wasn't there before. On her toes, she leaned forward trying to get a better view of whatever it was. Just a cliff like structure that seemed to go up for miles. Quick in pace, she went back to the bathroom to quickly wash her face and brush her teeth. Saying 'goodbye' to the taste of 2D's cigarettes that she hadn't the chance to fully commit to memory. In a few motions, she stepped into yoga pants and boots, throwing a hoodie over head to get downstairs as soon as possible.   
  
The entrance to Kong was shrouded in shade. The other side of the Essex cliff-side was covered in sunlight as it normally would be. Brows furrowed, Meryn walked along the side of the building coming face to face with what shouldn't be possible. An enormous wedge of land tied to Kong itself being weighed down like a balloon by an anchor. Murdoc stood, barely bundled up in a leather jacket, one leg crossed over the other with a smarmy look on his face. One green tinted hand placed on the rocky structure behind him, he grinned shouting proudly 50 feet away,"Oi! Happy New Years--D-Did I wake you Ryn?! Had to land this thing sooner or later! Was getting too many bloody airborne traffic tickets!" Snorting and grunting in amusement with his own explanation, Murdoc took a few steps forward, pointing to the very top of his pride and joy,"There it is love! Our very own floating island! Hows it feel being in the presence of Gorillaz excellence?!"  
  
Her eyes as big as saucers stared up in disbelief of what she was seeing. Meryn leaned back to take it in; mouth wide open no words came out for a while. Eyes traveling up and down the "island" she didn't know where to begin. "It's real?!" To no avail, it seemed staring at it didn't make it less baffling. Eager feet drew her to Murdoc, awe-struck like a little kid seeing a fantasy come to life. "How is this even possible?!," she yelled just a foot away from him unaware of her own volume.   
  
"Sweet Satan, Ryn! Blowing my bloody ears out!" One jagged nail stuck into his ear, yelling back just as loudly.  
"SORRY!" Meryn yelled directly into his ear, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Ya'll hush! It's too early for all that yellin'...," Russel rounded the anchored island in a large bubble coat, rubbing the back of his head covered by a beanie. At his command, she pretended to zip her lips shut dragging her fingers across her mouth. "Tch!" Murdoc complained,"You listen to him but not me--!"  
"SHHHHHHH!" She stared wide-eyed and smug bringing her finger to her lips.  
"Oh shut your face--," he started; interrupted by a shove from Russel. Murdoc fell forward a couple feet just barely catching himself before hitting the ground,"The bloody hell was that for?!"  
Both Meryn and Russel turned to glare at the disgruntled corpse man simultaneously shushing him with their index fingers to their lips.  
  
"Aow unh hnnnn," fed up, he groaned staring daggers at Meryn. Returning a gesture, she smiled open mouthed squinting her eyes shut without a care in the world. Her cheeks hurt she wanted to laugh so bad. Russel tended to the restraints properly, his head turned slightly to talk over his broad shoulders," Sorry this clown woke you, Muds piloted the island way too close to Kong. Hit the damn hilltop and everything." The two men exchanged looks, Murdoc rolling his eyes grumbling under booze laced breath, and Russel shaking his head at the way the bassist always managed to endanger everyone around him.  
"I'm still trying to process it, to be honest...," stepping forward, she crossed her arms studying it carefully. "Heh, that's understandable. You've never seen it before right?" Attention turned to her, Russel finished tying the large structure to a tree.   
"I saw it in the Feel Good Inc. video...but I thought it was special effects or something--,"mid-run-on sentence, the silenced pickle chimed in;"Gorillaz IS a special effect darling, the sooner you realize that the better off you'll be."   
  
Tempted to mock, Meryn decided to let his strangely put words go. She knew what he meant. The band was unlike any other; musically and literally. "Got it. There's a floating island because Gorillaz. The End."  
  
"Now you're getting it, love." He'd walked off back to the entrance, rounding the corner, Murdoc turned back chortling,"I'll stop by later, still gotta get the digits for the lovely Ruri."  
"Where're you goin'?" Russel scratched his pants leg, twiddling his nose at the blustery cold. "Got something that needs to be taken care off, I'll see you, morons, later." He hadn't bothered to look back, the front door slammed shut at the turn of Murdoc's old beat up boots.  
Inside; two green hands rubbed together for warmth, shivering at the last bit of nipping cold. An unkempt raggedy looking man sat impatiently slumped onto the couch with a foul look on his face waiting. Cracking his neck, Murdoc's tongue rolled out of his mouth, mouth pulled into a smirk,"Alright then Mr. Manson, come along let's have a chat."  
  
  
Aimlessly, little feet trudged around the building. Arms behind her back, Noodle had done about seven laps on the 2nd floor. Before reaching lap eight; she stopped, on leg extended and the other in place. With an about-face, she faced Meryn's door knocking lightly and pressing an ear to listen for the shuffling or groaning that usually followed waking her this early in the morning. Of everyone at Kong; Meryn was the only one who could sleep until noon. Noodle had made a game of it over time, climbing into the ventilation shafts to sneak into her room without having to unlock the door, she'd startle or spook her awake cackling at the jerky spastic reactions that always followed. A small smirk at the memory made her cherish a portion of living here, among everyone. Hearing nothing, she frowned drawing away from the door. Head tilted she listened for anyone close by; down the stairs, peering into the kitchen, there was no one around. Somber; Noodle wandered outside holding her arms to her chest. Eyes watering to the cold she walked along Kong Studios glancing up to the floating island. A latter laid at the side was the only proof of recent human activity. With little effort, she sprung onto the latter, skipping steps and gleefully flipping to the top. She huffed; at the very top looking around at the view spread out before her. Shuddering, she sprinted to the windmill tower. Meryn in the corner of her eye stopped Noodle in her tracks. The younger girl cocked her head,"This is where you were?"  
  
"Yep," Meryn looked from side to side awkwardly,"I'm stuck up here."  
"Huh?"  
"I'm afraid of heights," she smiled dorkishly her tongue stuck out trying to make fun of the predicament she found herself in.  
"Then how'd you get up here?"  
"I can go up, but I'm afraid to go down...It's higher up than I thought."  
Dumbfounded; all Noodle could do was stare,"...That's stupid."  
"It is." Meryn agreed, nodding along.  
  
Kicking her feet in the grass, she plopped down on her butt,"Guess I'm no different. I came out here in the winter in pajamas." Noodle sat legs crossed over each other, pulling her arms into the long sleeved shirt she wore. She patted the dried grass next to her motioning for Meryn to join her. The second she sat she winced,"Yoga pants were a bad idea..." Noodle stared forward at the cemetery below in deep thought; the wind blew pushing her bangs away from her eyes every so often. Seemingly out of nowhere; excitement sparked in her beady green eyes,"Let's go somewhere!"  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Anywhere!" Jumping to her feet, Noodle ran off for the windmill. Making little attempt to get up from where she sat, Meryn simply tilted her head backward. Upside down, it looked even more surreal. The sound of wind-chimes twinkling together in the January air could put her to sleep. Lids heavy; Meryn began to drift off into a light sleep, subconsciously resting her head on the pillowy grass. Not a moment later; the slightest of movements brought her back around. Somehow she felt lighter than air. Staring up at the sky, the sound of crunching grass approached from a different direction than she remembered Noodle disappearing off to. Rope in hand, she mischievously smiled down to her. It took a moment, but once it hit her..."Did you just release the island?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"....."  
  
Wordless, Meryn sat up bolting for the tower door. With impressive speed, Noodle beat her to it blocking the way to safety,"It's only scary if you let it bother you."

* * *

  
  
It was warmer than she thought it'd be. As it turned out, on a sunny day, no matter what time of year the sun had the capacity to warm a person's senses; contrary to what Meryn once thought. Noodle had leaned against her back, legs up against her chest she rest her head letting the breeze and sunlight have her. The warmth of another person at her back was comforting. Neither of them had said much once, Noodle had gotten Meryn to relax. Back to back, everything seemed like it'd be alright. Arms folded over her knees, the smaller girl spoke muffled against the sleeves of her pajamas,"What's it like having parents? It's random but, I'm curious."  
  
"Hmm...that's a hard question," thinking to herself, she'd only known her parents for a short time. Even if she did answer, it wouldn't be a very good one. Struggling for words she made an attempt,"Well I mean...It's nice. To be honest, I didn't know mine for too long..."  
"That's fine. I don't have any at all." Noodle said it so plainly, with nothing behind it at all.  
What was she supposed to say? After a prolonged silence; Noodle caught on to the strangeness of her the question, shifting her weight at Meryn's back she decided to leave it be, mustering up words of her own,"Gorillaz is my family but I still wonder about the real ones I would have had."  
"Would have?  
"It's difficult to explain...," she gave up instead shrugging her shoulders. Leaning all the way back, Meryn upside down rested her head on top of the troubled youth,"I'm not going anywhere. If you want to give it a try, I'm all ears. Meanwhile, I'll tell you what I do know." Pondering her bottom lip pooched out, still red from the night before; before long she'd finally come up with something to offer,"My parent's were...interesting. They married young, had kids young, and died...young." Taking in a heavy dose of the atmosphere; the words started to come easier,"My mom was born on a Japanese military base in Okinawa; she was adopted by this nice middle-aged couple, my uh grandparents...." Trailing off for a moment Meryn imagined it all as her brother had once told her. Nostalgic, her lips thinned into a wide smile, "Mom was a troublemaker; she was bold and unapologetic. Apparently, in school, she got into a lot of fights. Academically she did well in school, it was just her personality that rubbed some people the wrong way. After she graduated she moved to America and met my dad." Suddenly she began to laugh. Shaking in hysteria, her back bumped against Noodle's repeatedly. Curious, an eyebrow rose in question behind choppy bangs. "What's funny?" She inquired.  
  
  
"I remembered some of the stories I heard about them. My dad apparently immediately fell for her; she often dragged him into her crap and he went along with it. NOT to say that he was a complete pushover...I distinctly remember him being quite intimidating at times," Meryn quieted drifting into memories of her father.  
"He was...scary?"   
"No. It's hard to describe...dad was kind and lenient but he had his limits."  
"What were their names?"  
"Aaron and Marisol..." Saying their names, a fluttery feeling tickled away in her chest.  
"Jakes?  
"Yeah. Mom's maiden name was Kanno because of uh well you know." Waving her hands Meryn dismissed the entire explanation.  
  
"Hm...,"Noodle droned spreading her legs out into a stretch. "Come on," she motioned crawling towards the edge of the island. Although afraid and hesitant to be anywhere near the edge of a cliff-side, Meryn followed taking handfuls of grass at every inch towards the end. She shakily held on to edge digging her nails in the dirt; being as brave as she could her eyes peered over viewing the landscape below. Life below was so insignificant; little specks and structures spanned out to the horizon. It was dizzying and yet still, she found it hard to not be awestruck at the world laid out before her. At the turn of her head, Meryn spotted Noodle fearlessly sitting on the very edge of the cliff swinging her legs in the open air. Uneven hair blew in the wind, pushing her bangs apart; quietly she turned to face the cowering woman,"Forgive me, I'm going to be blunt here Marin-chan." A smarmy smile spread across her features, unable to take calling her that seriously. Blinking, Meryn smiled back,"Is that revenge for the time I called you Nu-chan?"  
  
She'd disregarded the question, continuing to kick her feet,"Maybe some people are better off without families. Do you think that sounded bad?"  
  
Meryn shrugged taking in a breath of fresh air,"There's some truth to that." Returning her gaze to the green pastures below, she continued," I know some who've had their lives ruined by their families. Anyone can have a child, but that doesn't mean they should."  
  
Noodle faced the sun closing her eyes,"Explain that." In a deep breath, Meryn did the best she could to put her bias into words,"Having a child is easy, but loving and caring for the child doesn't come naturally to some. This might be too much information but...I knew a girl who seemed normal. She seemed to have it all. But it turned out that her life wasn't as it seemed. Shea was...betrayed I guess by both her parents. Physically and mentally; they failed her..." Taking notice of the lack of spirit in her explanation, Noodle hung her head wondering what she meant exactly,"You seem to care about this person a lot." Head bobbing, the tension was shrugged off with a practical answer,"I do. But caring only goes so far once an amount of damage is done..."  
"I see. And your siblings?"  
Meryn fell silent. Lids lowered, the approaching skyline became blurry through tears. For a while, she stuttered failing to even begin explaining. Feeling the unease brought on by her question, Noodle shrank,"Sorry. Nevermind."  
  
"My sister is a bitch." Blurted from her mouth, disgust rang heavy on the words Meryn uttered. A low cackle began as she turned her attention to the curious girl," Sorry." Taken aback, Noodle wasn't sure what to say. Mouth forming a slanted line, she set out to pique the rest of her curiosity,"And your brother?" Immediately the darkened expression faded away into a bright genuine smile," Sol? He was a godsend."  
"Was?"  
"Mmhm. He died a couple years ago..."  
"What...was he like?"  
Meryn perked up, to Noodle's surprise she sat up pushing a couple inches away from the edge. Long legs stretched out, her feet hanging off the island. Carefree she leaned back propping herself up with extended arms. Fingers gripping the grass, she picked a nearby dandelion from its roots. Loose wispy hairs lapped at her cheeks from under the hood; drawing the flower to her lips Meryn blew sending the seeds flying over the edge to land wherever the current would take them.  
  
"Sol was a lifesaver. He's the one who had me removed from my sister's household. Without him, I wouldn't be here today." Releasing the stem, she stared amazed at the way the island parted the clouds. Misty water droplets wet their skin and an indescribable kaleidoscope of rainbows within the clouds vapor courtesy of the suns rays.  "Now it's my turn to ask you something Nu-chan. Do you think you have a good family?"  
"Hm...," she thought for a moment bring her fingertip to her temple. "If they were my real family; Murdoc would be the creepy uncle, Russel would be the responsible uncle annnnnd I guess 2D would be my idiot brother. That's pretty good right?"  
"Yup." Meryn chirped.  
"Since you've been so open; it's best I fill you in." Noodle stood up, standing majestic and perfect in balance on the ridge. Her head turned, flipping her bangs and hair about wildly,"I'm planning to move on from Gorillaz."  
  
For a few seconds they shared a silence, the only thing heard was the turning of the windmill and the chiming of the ornaments hanging from the trees. "Why?" Finally, she asked, unable to bear the silence any longer.

 

 

With a smile she pushed the unruly spikes behind her ears, "I'm not a normal person like you all. I only found this out myself by going home in Japan. It's funny, I was there about 2 years ago now in Osaka; I wonder, where were you?" Meryn smiled back, bewilderment registering on her face,"Shibuya...but what do you mean you aren't a normal person?"  
"Before I went back home for myself; I couldn't speak English, I had no memory of who I was or why I ended up here. But while I was there it all came back to me. Everything; my memories, my brothers, and sisters, and my purpose. Before I was Noodle, I was a soldier." Perched she pointed out at beyond the horizon,"I've been many places before with Gorillaz; here I know who I am but, I think I should get to know Noodle herself for awhile." Slowly but surely, Meryn nodded. Teetering from side to side after awhile at a rising question in the pit of her stomach;"So when you say soldier do you mean literally?"  
"Mmhm, myself and 22 others like me. We were apart of a classified project for the military." Arm falling to her side, Noodle pivoted on her heel, back turned to the world behind her,"It won't be forever...I guess I wanted to tell you first to sort of makeup for lost time. It's been nice having another girl around. One that isn't a groupie I mean."  
Hand on her chest, Meryn theatrically wound her face up,"I'm so flattered Nee-chan."  
"I guess you would be the closest to a sister huh? Alright then; when I get back, that's what you'll be!" It was odd how excitable Noodle was about this, considering not having expected her theatrics to be taken seriously; but having Noodle as a 'sister' was eons better than the one Meryn was actually related to. Content with the idea, she smiled,"I'll hold you to it."

* * *

  
The pair had left mid-morning, and somehow by the time the got back, it was early afternoon. Masterfully, Noodle landed the island in an eloquent manner; which is more than Meryn could say for Murdoc who could've knocked Kong off its steep hilltop. By some miracle, she'd made it back down to the ground safely; the miracle being Noodle. The near foot difference in height meant nothing the way she cradled the cowering adult like a child and jumped down to the earth with ease. The action made the news of her child soldier experimentation all the more believable. Anyone else would have bones jutting out of their kneecaps jumping from such a height. Teeth chattering, the cold had gotten to her; living in Sapporo, Hokkaido had made Meryn somewhat used to freezing temperatures. However, she hadn't taken into account that sitting in the sunshine with water vapor misting about and immediately coming back to the frigid cold down below. Noodle was perfectly fine, being made to withstand harsher weather than this; blissfully unaware of the growing illness that welled inside of the older but still human Meryn. Shivering she waved, watching the independent teenager settle everything before staggering inside.

Groaning she slumped against the entrance to Kong, having ignored the pangs in her head for long enough. Sniffling, she pushed off sauntering off to the kitchen in hopes to prevent catching a cold alongside the hangover she'd failed to attend to. Shuffling through the cupboard she settled on making tea; numb fingers on the pot she'd let 2D use around the time they first met, Meryn decided to make him a cup. He was the only one she hadn't seen today, and it was unlike him to sleep well into the afternoon. The moment both cups were brewed she headed to the elevator. Unable to use her hands, she lifted a leg gently pressing the button with her boot. It opened quicker than she thought it would; with how sudden it was, the tea spilled over burning her hand. In pain she hissed carefully entering the lift; this time hitting the button with her elbow.

On the basement floor, it was quieter than usual. Not many times did she come down here but when she did, 2D was usually playing random tunes with one or seven of the many keyboards he owned. Even at his door, nothing was heard; knee lifted she knocked on the door. Immediately there was a muffled but stern response,"NO!"  
Uncomfortable she pursed her lips raising a brow, squeaking out,"WELL FINE!"  
Straight away, the door flew open; standing there shirtless with pajama pants half on, he yawned wide scratching the dried drool off his face,"Tha' wasn't f'yew. Murdoc dropped by earlier, barkin' commands a' me and the loike; sorry I'm a bit sozzled still." Blinking himself awake, his eyes landed on the extra cup of tea held in Meryn's hand,"Tha' for me?"  
"Mmhm," her own focus stuck on the pale skin she'd never seen before then back to look him in the eye.  
It appeared that even he noticed her traveling gaze,"What'cha lookin' a' me loike tha' for?"

Eyes fell lower, flitting back up with a smirk,"Your pants are falling off D." Looking to his sides, he grabbed the waistband pulling it up with a shy look about him,"I-I jus woke up..." Head shaking from side to side, she tried not to beam too hard,"Its fine, I was just teasing you." Inside his room, things looked just as messy as the last time she'd actually laid eyes on it. "Oh yeah! You've nevah been in moi room 'ave yew?" He'd shaken off embarrassment easily, moving onto the next thing without looking back; that's the kind of person 2D was. "Nope."  
"Ol'right then let me show yew 'round," hand out he took the extra cup stepping aside over a pile of clothes he'd discarded. Instruments lined the walls of his room. Stepping inside it was rather small, it would be a short tour that was for sure. Unsure of how to start, Meryn stammered,"There's no way to ask this but did we...uh." For a moment he was wide-eyed, the next he was laughing,"Thought yew meant somefing naughty!"  
"Not THAT exactly but...," it was beginning to feel like bringing it up was a mistake. Meryn awkwardly stood in the middle of the room a couple feet away staring at the floor. Shoulders tense, 2D stood like a wooden plank shying away from the question, eventually, he brought himself to answer,"Wasn't wiff me. Yew went off wiff some guy early on and later we played some kinky party game, but, not loike... us. We played but not wiff each other." Voice warbling, he took a quick sip,"Know wha' I mean?" His face cringed at his own words for reasons unknown to her. At this point, she wasn't sure of anything anymore. "Oh...," attempting to laugh it off, Meryn gave a small smile.  
"S'not tha' yew aren't fit or anyfing loike tha' if I HAD gotten yew I'd treat ya rioght,"the rambling began as a last resort to fix the situation. Another sip and 2D went off at the mouth,"Person I got wuz wicked, couldn't see 'er but she wuz um....sensual and ol' tha'." A forced smile worked its way onto Meryn's face,"How were the two girls?"

"Hm? Oh yeah...Well I din't seal tha' deal wiff them or nuthin'. Struck out pretty bad actually." It seemed easy for 2D to move on from negative occurrences; he never complained much or whined about anything. He simply took things as they came. Something about that was enviable to Meryn. "But yew got 'round last night," he continued. "Tha' guy yew were wiff seemed noice. And whoever got yew in tha' game was bloody lucky." He meant for it to be a harmless joke, a compliment even but it was better in theory than in practice.

"Oh..."

Frazzled, 2D was unsure of what to do. After some deliberation, he decided to change the subject,"So anyfing yew got in mind f'the New Year?" Sensing his try at small-talk, she acknowledged it with a nod,"I haven't really thought about it..."  
He broke into a sweat; knees shaking and a scarecrow expression dumb on his face," Kay...I-Isn't yer birfday comin' up?"  
"Oh yeah. Well it's in February but--"  
"How old'll yew be again?"  
"20."  
Successful back and forth had, 2D was able to breathe,"O.K. Yeah. Keep forgettin' yer so young." Plopping down on his bed he finished the cup smacking his lips at the last few drops. So desperately he wanted to have a functioning conversation despite his ineptitude,"Yew can sit yew know."  
Meryn stood up straight, finishing her own cup. Cheeks full of now lukewarm tea she murmured,"Not going to kick me out for being awkward?"  
A little surprised at her ability to, again and again, point out the uncomfortable, 2D smirked humming to himself,"I'd haf t'kick me self out if I did tha'! Since I'm the one in charge, I say yew can stay. Anyone tha' says otherwise'll answer t'me!" Giving in, she sat on the floor in front of him tossing away the jeans he left on the floor,"Kay. My butt is on the floor."  
Proud; he crossed his arms eyes smiling at his achievement," And tha's where it stays till we fix everyfing."  
"Bossy."  
"Tha's coz I AM the boss."  
Chuckling, Meryn shook her head,"Then where's your suit and tie D?"  
"Tha's Mr.D t'yew," he loudly proclaimed head held high.  
"Why not Mr.Pot?"  
"Nah, tha's me dad's name." 

 

"Ah," she would play along with him for awhile. "So how do you suggest we fix our problem Mr. D?"   
Chin held, he sat there for a moment staring up at the ceiling,"Ever seen Texas Chainsaw?" Expectingly he waited eagerly for an answer. At the slightest shaking of her head, he jumped up brimming over in excitement,"Brilliant!" In the blink of an eye 2D was rummaging through the junk on the floor; tossing a pair of briefs off of the little T.V. in the corner he flashed a grin back at her,"Can't see tha' flick on tha' floor, love." Nose crinkled, she smirked,"Trying to get me in bed D?"

"Ah! MISTA' D!"

_Nice dodge._ Worming onto his bed the same scent she woke up with filled her lungs. Eyes flew to his dorky hunched over form in front of the DVD player full of uncertainty. Collapsing on the bed alongside her; another gust of cigarettes, cologne and something she couldn't quite guess hit her. Head rested on her arms Meryn contemplated it one more time. Cool colored spiky hair flung at the turn of his head,"Ready?"

"Ready."

 


	18. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One step forward, three steps back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next chapter will be about the same length. Chapter 20 will be the end of Phase 2.

Terrene eyes watched the adolescent Noodle shuffling from corner to corner; picking up items of interest and placing them in the appropriate boxes she had set aside. It had been almost a month since she expressed the desire to leave; surprisingly Murdoc had taken it quite well. Almost too well. He'd made an agreement with the young guitarist; she could leave but after they filmed the last music video Gorillaz would make in a while. What that meant for everyone else wasn't for certain as of yet. Sat comfortably on the matted floor, Meryn looked around the room,"Interesting that when you're leaving you invite me in..." Everything grabbed her attention; it reminded her of living in Japan. Lifting a box three times her size, Noodle moved with ease. Barely able to peer over the box, the top of her head responded,"No one else is allowed in. You're just lucky!"  
Face scrunched in unease, Meryn asked once more,"Are you sure you don't want any help?" There was barely a response, just an acknowledged shake of the child prodigy's head.  
Possessive of her belongings, Noodle had insisted yet again that Meryn do nothing. The previous attempt to help out was met with rabid shrieks in Japanese that struck a bit of fear to her senior. Meaning no trouble, Meryn found it best to just sit and observe.   
  
"Actually, you can do something for me. Go find Murdoc and ask him for the El Manana screenplay," Noodle shouted over the next box she lifted. With a nod, Meryn set out to do just that; closing the door behind her she went along from room to room looking for Murdoc. It would have been simpler to just call; but since she arrived, every gross attempt just made handing out her cell phone number more unlikely. Room after room was searched; he was nowhere to be found. The only other place that seemed plausible was his Winnebago. 2D had mentioned that upon her arrival but she hadn't the urge to cause herself displeasure. Elevator taken she rode quietly to the basement floor. Past 2D's room into the deeper depths of Kong. At the very end of the concrete hall was a hanger of some kind. Cars as far as the eye could see. Sports cars and vintage models, glistening in the fluorescent lights above. The eyesore that was Murdoc's Winnebago stuck out like a sore thumb among the classier competition. Alongside was a strange off-brand Jeep; instead spelled Geep. Low and behold; there was movement inside, the shadows of two people beyond the front seat.  
  
The closer she got, the stronger the stench of booze and tobacco; in front of the door, the murmurs of a discussion halted. Suspicious, Meryn knocked on the rugged door. Not a second had passed and the door flung open hitting her square in the face. Shaky hands flew to her nose, pressing lightly at the bridge in hopes that no medical attention would be needed. Lucky, it was still intact. But the pain that came after the reassurance throbbed and cracked at her release. Daggers stared in the direction of the door, eyes falling a considerable distance to see a little man sneering unapologetic and full of himself. She was thrown for a moment; if anyone was expected to be in a sketchy Winnebago with Murdoc Niccals, it was definitely not this small unsightly man. Cock-eyed he glared walking by; eyes like a truly unbalanced individual sent a chill down Meryn's spine.  
  
"Oh, so that was you out here." Murdoc appeared standing in the doorway looking down at her like a commoner. In his hand, a half-empty bottle of Grey Goose sloshed around at the slightest of his movements. Air sucked in between the front gap between her teeth, snarkily she spat,"Tch. Don't think yourself tall because you're standing three steps higher than me." A quick swig and he retorted flicking his tongue out,"Your mind's playing tricks on you darling, I'm above you regardless of height. Besides, that's what you get for eavesdropping." He shrugged, stepping down from the door,"What'd you want anyway? You never visit ol' Murdy down here." With another sip, he wiped his mouth,"What's the occasion?"  
  
 The sounds that came from his binge drinking were revolting, and his breath as he entered her personal space could strip the tarnish of a rusted jet engine. Disgusted, her feet took a couple steps back,"You smell like death." Different colored eyes rolled at the insult he'd heard a thousand times before,"That wasn't an answer to my question." Eye roll returned, Meryn groaned aloud,"Noodle asked me to get something from you. It's for the El Manana shoot."  
  
"Oh-Well why didn't you say so?!" Digging into the crotch of his jeans, Murdoc retrieved the screenplay handing it to her ever so abrasively. Pupils dilated at what she just witnessed,"No. I'll just come get it when I have tongs."  
"Hnnnh, suit yourself little priss." The papers were shoved back where they came without a second thought; turning on his heel he groaned heading back into his Winnebago, scratching the happy trail that extended from his pubic regions,"Well fuck off then."  
"Will do," she had dismissed herself from stomaching any other gross display he might put on. Practically marching off to exit the concrete prison. Out of sight and out of mind, Meryn flipped open her phone. Nothing in particular to see, however the date for some reason jumped out at her. Head tilted, she tried to think of any significance for the date.  _January 20th._ Still nothing. Her inability to recall the significance of the date was sure to bother her the rest of the day.  
  
From watching Noodle pack to lending a hand with Russel's hog; the feeling never went away. An entire day went by and nothing in particular stuck out to her.  
  
"Um...Kat?"  
  
Only then had she realized how long she'd been spacing out. Her face serious and focused; 2D gawked awkwardly unsure of what to say, let alone what was happening. The waving of his hand across her face brought her back to attention. Stunned she blinked bug-eyed as if she'd just discovered something. "Why so sewious in tha face?" He gestured pointing to his own imitation of Meryn. Mouth slanted, she sighed; head leaning backwards onto the wall she stared at the ceiling,"You know how when you're trying to remember something and you just can't?" Turning her head slightly she noted the way 2D brought his index finger to his lips and attempted to offer some words of wisdom. After a pause of deep thought, his hand dropped to his side sliding into his pocket,"Oh. Yeah. Happens ol tha time. Yew'll 'membah sooner or later though." Suddenly a tad self-conscious he tried to add onto his sentiment,"Well...sometimes it doesn't so...maybe nawt."  
Embarrassed for him, Meryn nodded,"Right..." In hopes of getting back on track, she would try just one more time to rack her brain for any hint for the day's importance. Humming she made her last attempt, "Hmmm...January 20th...What's so special about today?" It was a rhetorical question, of course not expecting 2D to know but that wouldn't stop him from putting in his two cents anyhow. Shrugging he backed himself on the wall opposite of Meryn," Donno, it's someone's birfday. Every day is someone's birfday."  
  
_That was it. Not just anyone's birthday, Shea's._  
  
Guilt settled in; slumping against the wall Meryn chuckled in disbelief that'd she'd forget something so important. 2D across from her stood confused and out of the loop; curious he drew forward extending a hand,"Yew O.K.?" She shook her head blowing out a large puff of air built up in her lungs,"I'm a bad friend." The second she said that he disagreed,"Nah I don' fink yew are. Yew're a good friend t'me I mean." Half smiling, she pushed aside being friend-zoned and decided to take a lesson from 2D's 'go where the wind takes him' mentality.  
"D?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Wanna go somewhere with me?"  
"S-Sure. Where to?"  
"Brighton. It's late so it's fine if you don't--," before she could put up a wall to separate them should he decline, 2D had other plans. Raising his hand, he grinned,"It's a bit random but I've got nuthin' t'do. 'Sides, I could stand to get away from Kong for a day or two."  
  
With that, it was settled. A quick gathering of belongings and the two disappeared off at the setting of the sun. Boarding the 6:55 PM train; Meryn, alongside 2D were on their way. People standing by noticed the celebrity, their heads turning left and right in excitement. Some took pictures, to which 2D awkwardly complied putting up a peace sign or smiling every now and then. The attention he received did little to distract him from his quieted traveling buddy. Ignoring the flashing of cameras and chatter of people after awhile, he pivoted turning to look at Meryn. Her face blank, and pupils small; something was off. Leaning forward, 2D set his elbows on his knees letting his lengthy arms fall in between his legs,"We goin' to see someone?"  
Demeanor unchanging, she answered,"Yes." The spaces where front teeth should be lowered onto his bottom lip, cushioning the gap as the forward most teeth bit down onto the chapped surface,"Uhhhhh." Completely uncomfortable, he knocked his skull. Brown eyes shifted over to watch him trembling there in unease; with a heavy sigh she tried her luck at explaining,"It's the person I was supposed to be staying with--You know before I started living with you guys?" Although he nodded, he was still lost; it showed in his empty-eyed expression.,"A guy?"  
  
"No, a girl."  
  
"Oh, so it's a good friend or somefink?"  
  
"Something like that...I think...," it seemed that Meryn had died some time ago. For about half of the 2-hour train ride, she sat in silence. Nervous her foot tapping erratically in strange patterns. 2D wasn't good at situations like this; on a train, with a girl he'd been lusting over for the past month with nothing to say. Thankfully, every now and then, Meryn herself would break the silence. The closer they got, the more talkative she became. "D? Am I wasting your time?" On these words, in particular, she sank in the seat. Head shaking he reassured,"No, I do stuff loike this sometimes. Jus' go places. Yew know?" Her features softened at his level of tolerance. She had dragged him out here short notice and basically said nothing to him the entire ride.   
  
Arms crossed he continued, "I will say though, I am curious bout who this person is, but yew seem loike...shaky and ol' anxious so I'm not sure wha' t'do here if I'm bein' honest."  
  
"That's fair." Flicking her tongue over her lips, she closed her eyes,"When I first came here. I was going to room with a friend from high school...back when I ran away from Kong I had made a decision to go along with the original plan..."  
  
"Wha' original plan?"  
  
A fake smile etched on her face, she tried her best to feel nothing saying aloud what she had planned to do,"I was going to...earn money down here. And Shea was my way in." Face lighting up, he leaned back thinking he guessed it,"Oh loike a job interview recommendation."  
  
"Not...quite..."  
  
Head tilted to the side, he drew a blank on what Meryn meant by that,"I don' get it, but go on." Grim in expression she nodded,"She has a dangerous job but it pays well...anyway. The last time we spoke, things didn't end on a good note." Voice flat and devoid of feeling, Meryn laced her fingers together in her lap,"When I first moved here. I was adamant on...spending a good deal of time with her. We had planned ahead to do something together like old times for her birthday but, once everything settled with my stay at Kong I tried to leave thoughts of her behind. And it worked. I forgot." A disturbing attempt at feigned happiness tore across her expressionless visage; teeth exposed in the painfully forced grin. 2D was slow, but not a complete idiot like everyone pinned him to be. Suspicious he eyed the way her mouth twitched and the stiffness in her posture,"Yew had somefing goin' on wiff this girl?"  
_Correct._  The phony smile disappeared, being replaced with a natural inelegance that was ever changing in illustration. Embarrassed then puzzled, stuttering and then concise,"W-What do you mean?? I mean, how do you figure?"   
  
"Coz yew look loike me when I thought I fell f'someone."  
  
Now it was his turn to be remote; flexing his fingers his arms limp between the gap of his seated legs. Downcast, 2D scratched his chin. _No scruff today._ His silence wasn't too long; the quick rising and falling of his rectangle brows indicated he'd moved on from brooding any further, slowly blinking he glanced back to Meryn, sadness still evident from the small frown on his face,"Sowwy. Got a liddle in moi head."  
"It's O.K. You're um...right though." Swallowing her feelings she pushed forward,"Hey D?" Both brows rose in question; the remaining pained memories being washed away with curiosity.  
  
 "What would you say if I told you the first person I loved was a girl?"  
Failing to see the issue with that, he scrunched his face in concern,"Whaddya mean? Yew bein' lezzie? Wha' bout it?" Instantly her head shook,"I'm not a lesbian, I like guys too. I slept with one remember...?" Taciturn 2D nodded,"Nevah met someone tha' went both ways...sorry I'm schtupid. Wha's tha word f'tha' again?"  
  
"Bisexual."  
  
"Yeah, tha's the one. As wot I fink bout it....Not much. Why?"  
  
"I was just curious on how you'd react."  
  
Shrugging, his shoulders fell low,"People are people. It's not a big fing t'me."  
  
"That's refreshing to hear," Meryn couldn't help but smile.   
  
The brakes on the train screeched to a stop after a long while, opening the doors to a different scenery than Essex. The seaside town of Brighton had much more moisture in the air. Meryn's hair was a perfect indication of that. With a low grumble, she quickly tied it into a manageable bun. Onlooking 2D pouted lighting a cigarette from the brand new carton in his back pocket,"I thought it was nice ol' waved up. Fits the theme of tha beach and everyfing."  
Bashfully she shook her head swiftly,"It looks dumb. But I'm glad you like it at least." Flipping open the phone in her coat pocket, Meryn scrolled through her contacts. The arrow stopped on her name, Shea Grant. Frozen in place, the name alone was giving her goosebumps and making it hard to breathe. Tensed, she forced herself to press call. The beating of her heart was insanely quick with every ring of the phone; an automated voicemail allowed her to breathe normally again. Holding her chest she peered over to 2D, who watched the side of Meryn he'd not seen before. She always seemed so collected, even in the event something bad had happened. Now she was fidgeting in place, pulling an address from her jeans pocket embarrassed by her lack of grace. Taking it upon himself to ask for her, he held out his free hand sliding the paper from her fingertips; waltzing over to a nearby station attendant,"S'cuse me, do yew know how t'get to this address?"  
  
Watching how easily he talked to others, Meryn couldn't feel more incapable of mundane tasks. On his return, he handed the little slip of paper back to her,"Here yew go. Got a taxi to come 'round and take us. The bloke said s'not too far from 'ere." The cigarette between his lips was about half finished by the time the taxi arrived. Nonchalantly, 2D put it out simply licking his fingertips and snuffing it out between them. Sliding the half back into the carton, he turned for the car looking back to be sure the anxious young woman would follow,"Let's go then." Completely enamored by the way he took charge, Meryn meekly trailed behind him a bit thrown off that he was leading her along. She had always coined him for being submissive the way 2D took beatings and cowered being under fire from Murdoc. Alone, he was someone else. Still casual and a bit uncoordinated but...cool. Beside him in the taxi, he sat there as if he'd done this a million times before; relaxed and a bit groggy. Her gaze stayed forward, even when she felt tired eyes looking down at her. A tap came on her shoulder sending her attention to look him straight in the voids of his eyes,"We're here, love." His voice was low and lined with a rumble she'd never heard from him. Movements swift, he pulled himself out of the car extending a hand at the turn of his heel,"Careful, there's glass 'ere."  
The second she took his hand she glided forward near the safety of stature, with a smile he fished a couple bills out of his pocket handing them to the driver,"Go 'head and keep tha change mate."  
  
Everything he was doing tonight was sending chills up her spine; more than Shea was making her nervous now. His head followed the taxi as it pulled off disappearing around the block; swiveling back to Meryn he sunk his hands into his front pockets leaning backward to view the stars. Enthused he flashed a wide smile, a fraction of gold in the corner of his mouth,"Noice t'see the stars again. Been awhile..." The flat behind him in Meryn's peripheral caught her attention at the sight of a light going out. Mustering up the courage to move towards the door was hard but it had to be done. Trotting through the unkempt grass of a small front lawn, she stood in front of the door. Fist shaking, she knocked and awaited an answer. Behind her, 2D crunched through the grass coming up to her right side. The sound of shuffling beyond the door and an unfamiliar male voice boomed from within. Door flying open, a man appeared in the doorway. Meryn staggered backward surprised brushing past 2D subconsciously. Sensing her unease, he decided to speak for her,"Is Shea 'ere?" The look on the man's face changed,"Do you have an appointment?" Befuddled, 2D looked over his shoulder unsure of what he meant,"Uhhhh?" Patience quickly ran thin and the stocky man rolled his eyes sneering at their slow response,"Look. If you have money you can see her--If not, get the fuck off my property."  
  
A bit flustered, 2D started to comply sifting through his wallet for payment. It was moments like this where Meryn got her confidence. The little that she had could be fueled by others sticking their necks out for her or the stubbornness that flared up inside her from time to time. "He doesn't need to pay. Tell Shea that Meryn came to see her." Hardened she held her breath, taking the necessary steps forward to look this man in the eye. Baffled and wide-eyed, the man laughed throwing his head back at the absurdity of her commands. Piercing blue eyes looked her up and down; a smirk started on his face. His foreign hand grazed her chin,"I don't let women tell me what to do. But...in exchange for payment why don't you and I talk business? You'd make a pretty penny." Eyes rolling, Meryn shoved the man backwards having gotten the gall to do so by his lack of respect,"No thanks. I'll pay you, just get her out here."   
Back against the wall, the now angered man drew forward,"Bitch!" Fist in the air, he swung to collide with her eye; instead, the taller man who stood beside her stepped in the way. The fist hammering down to 2D's jaw, his teeth clenched, hissing in disgust of the man's actions.   
  
Holding his face, 2D flashed a slighting and contemptuous scowl back at the offender,"Yew're nawt s'pposed t'hit a gerl."  
  
It took a moment for the man to register what had just happened,"What'd you just say pretty boy--"  
  
His words were interrupted by Meryn, who flung herself forward tackling the man to the floor of his own shabby little home. In the blink of an eye, she had become undone and found herself on top of him, nails at his throat, her face like a rabid animal, and eyes full of fury. "Don't. Touch him", she warned through her teeth. Stunned 2D hovered nearby,"N-Now keep it chilly Kat. Innit' yer friend yew came for?" A gentle fidgeting hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks; eyes wild stared daggers at 2D immediately weakening to guilt and shame once she saw his deeply perturbed face. Beneath her the man struggled, his own hands flying up around her throat. The light in her eyes went wide with intensity; willing the usually passive gentlemen that is 2D to act in defense. One long leg lifted came crashing down onto the man's chest like a jab, briefly knocking the air out of him loosening his grip. To both of their dismay's Meryn retaliated with her fists slamming against the breathless man. Under the barrage, he grunted and tried to wrench himself away. The only aid received was from the blue-haired man that he just assaulted; elongated arms wrapped around Meryn pulling her hunched frenzied form off and away from the sad excuse of a man.  
  
"Not tryna cop a feel on ya but yew gotta get a grip!" Heavily breathing to keep her under control he re-positioned his grip to a less feminine area holding her by the arms instead. Off the flooring and beet red, the man came at them snarling and bearing his fists. 2D prepared for impact, swinging Meryn around to evade the attack. But.  
  
"What're you doing?!"  
  
A tall, perhaps taller girl than Meryn came from inside shoving the man aside. Although commendable in her efforts the unnamed woman was returned a nasty slap across the face. Her slender body stumbled almost falling over from the impact, long platinum blond hair came undone from the heavy-handed swing. Holding her cheek, she spat out,"That's my friend. Fuck off and stop trying to recruit her." Intimidating blue orbs shot to her in question,"Try that again." All strength left her face at once,"P-Please. I'll work for it if you leave her alone." Satisfied with making more money, he shoved 2D backwards sending him falling to the grass below. Released from the large hands that held her, Meryn stepped forward nostrils flaring only to be stopped by the girl who'd just came in between them all. "Stop it, Marin," trembling hands cupped her face bringing her to realize whom she had the pleasure of speaking to.   
  
_Shea._  
  
Try as she might to blink herself back to a more familiar face, the one before her wouldn't change. Once beautiful copper hair had been dyed blond, the big hazel eyes that she once knew were outlined by sorrowful bags and covered heavily in makeup. Focusing on nothing but the long-faced woman who held her face, Meryn's heart sank,"You look...different." Swallowing the swelling lump in her throat, Shea tried to smile,"You look exactly the same. Except for the hair. Purple?"   
  
"Look. Your little friend came at me first. I just defended myself--," from behind, the man started to speak. Big doe-like eyes turned to shoot a look at him,"Tate you can't talk to every girl you meet like a common whore."  
  
"A whore?" 2D chimed in lifting himself from the unkempt lawn. Dusting the grass shards from his jeans, he approached both women. Gray eyes landed on him the first step he took,"You're...2D? From Gorillaz right? Or am I just tripping?" Stopped in his tracks, 2D nodded,"And yer Shea I take it?" She nodded, a small smile that seemed genuine greeted him. Hands returning to his pockets, 2D hung his head for a moment rising back to eye level, to utter the only thing he could say to this girl he'd met under circumstances he hadn't foreseen,"Happy birfday."

* * *

  
  
Inside, the man known as Tate returned to his half-emptied bottle of whiskey settling down on the shaggy couch in front of a small television. Seeing 2D in the corner of his eye he glanced over sending an unnerving chill down the unsuspecting man's spine. Snorting, Tate lifted the bottle,"Want a hit?" A little surprised at how quickly things had simmered down, 2D shook his head walking off around the corner to more accepting company. Meryn and Shea sat across from each other; neither saying anything. Meryn seemed unaccepting of the environment, and Shea, very on edge. Leaning against the door frame of the kitchen, 2D called to the woman in which he was more familiar with nothing holding back his words,"Kat, you were gonna...sell yerself?"  
  
She cringed at the question; unable to look him in the eye, she simply answered with a nod. Nothing more to say, he fell silent with a bothered look on his face. In a quick glance, Meryn could see that he appeared to be dissatisfied with her choices in the way he looked off to the corner of the room soured and almost angry. His posture suggested that he would leave it be for now.  
  
Something was happening between them. But only Shea could see it. In attempt to lighten things up, she apologized,"I'm sorry you had to come here." For a moment, 2D turned his attention to Shea looking past Meryn,"I'm glad I did. If I din't, she'd be worse off bout now." If Meryn hunched over any further, her spine would snap. The thought that 2D was angry with her or disappointed hurt more than she ever thought such a rare occurrence would. Trying her best to brave, Meryn spoke up making basic conversation,"How's it feel to be twenty?"   
"You'll know next month Marin. Get to the point, why'd you come here? We haven't spoken since November," pushing the hair out of her face, Shea couldn't help but continuously glance at 2D who merely stood nearby observing. Scoffing at her, Meryn laughed,"We've gone longer without speaking."  
  
"That's...true. Um...hows Satomi?"  
  
"She's dead."  
  
Interest piqued, 2D tried his best not to gawk at the back and forth unfolding in front of him. There were many things I didn't know about Meryn. He knew she had a hard past, but he wasn't aware it hindered her so. She'd never spoken to him about the bad and the ugly before. Somehow, how little he knew hurt. The closest person to her in recent times was left out of a big part of what made Meryn herself. She was more of a paradox than he once thought. Saddened, his posture became loose; turning away he remained silent, unable to watch the mourning for a girl he'd never known unfold. Not from Meryn, but from Shea. Tears overflowed dripping onto the table, fist clenched she mumbled,"How?"  
  
"Suicide." There was nothing in Meryn's voice. No sadness. No feelings. Satomi's death was something she'd accepted. The death of a friend can be easily numbed when you brutally torture the person that undoubtedly pushed her to do it. Blank and detached from reliving the sorrow that comes with a young life being taken, Meryn closed her eyes,"It's fine now. She got her justice."  
  
"What do you mean?" Wiping away at her tears, the salty streams burned Shea where she'd been slapped.  
  
 "I mean  **he** got what he deserved."  
  
"What happened to  **him**?...Marin? What did you do?" Voice wavering, she tried to look for the young troubled girl she used to know. But there was no trace of her; instead, a hardened criminal blinked slowly sitting up,"I did what should've been done in the first place." The color red flashed into her mind, along with the image of the three of them hand in hand, safe with each other. Wound up, Shea broke spitting out her words like knives,"Why didn't you tell me?!"   
"YOU left US!" The volume of Meryn's voice rose without warning, her scathing tongue further widening the gap between herself and the shocked lead singer who thought he knew her. Disturbed, he couldn't bear to stand and listen any longer. Nothing to say, 2D pushed off the wall. As soon as the door opened, it slammed behind him. Shea jumped to her feet following after him, afraid he'd leave Meryn. But he wasn't the type of guy who could leave a young woman behind hours away from home. At the curb, he sat down with a plop onto the grass. Removing the carton from his back pocket on the way down, the cigarette he'd started was popped into his mouth,"I'm not gonna leave 'er. Just tell 'er to come out when yer done."  
  
To his side, a lighter appeared in the hands of the fair-skinned woman,"Need a light?" Before he could confirm or deny, Shea brought it to light the end. On his exhale, smoke seeped out between his teeth,"Fhanks." She made herself comfortable beside him; a pretty girl in a different manner than Meryn. Shea was slender, not many assets to flaunt but she looked like a model. Looking forward, he continued as if she wasn't there wanting to wipe his hands of ever coming here. With little hesitation, she asked him a question,"What happened to her?" Flabbergasted he turned and gave her a rather rude look,"Why're yew askin' me? I've only known 'er for a few monfs." Taken back by the hostility she didn't expect him to bear, Shea pressed on,"You looked pretty close."  
  
"What're yew gettin' at?"  
  
"You two like each other."  
  
  
Silence.  
  
  
2D's shoulders rose in alarm, only to fall in mental fatigue. He sighed deeply in exasperation,"I donno wha' yew mean." Her head shook, not allowing him to play dumb,"I can see it in the way you hover nearby, and in the way, she pinned Tate for you." Leaning backward, Shea fell into the grass being cushioned by the cool soil underneath. Staring up at the stars she smiled,"You're a Gemini right?"   
  
Immediately he turned again looking back at the woman over his shoulder. A single thick brown raised in suspicion, 2D tensed, "Wha-? Why do yew know random facts bout me?"   
  
"I'm a fan", she answered quickly. " I lent my CD's to Marin before I left, in hopes to get her into Gorillaz. But...that was a while ago now...", gradually the light-hearted energy left, leaving behind only the nagging regret of leaving Meryn behind years ago.  Shaking her head, Shea pushed away the thought, decidedly doing what she could for Meryn of the present. With a forced smile, she continued from where she left off, "Anyway, I brought it up because, in theory, you two should find it hard to get along. Everyone knows Gemini and Pisces together are bad news." Shea had brought it full circle, only interested in pushing the two of them together. Somehow, it was funny to him. "Wha' bout yew?", he chuckled to himself. "Yew were actually wiff her at some point...," 2D muttered on an exhale, somewhat bitter for reasons not understood.  
  
Shea sighed, "Is that what she said? Hmm...Well, it's complicated...We were together but not...together if that makes sense." Not fully understanding, he glanced down at the bruised girl in the grass wanting a better answer than that. She caught wind of his lukewarm attempt to comprehend, cackling lightly Shea obliged,"Sexually...but I'm not cut out for actual relationships. I gave up on that mentality a long time ago."  
  
Turning on her side she looked at him with pleading eyes," Don't abandon her like I did. O.K?  She's more than a whore like me. And that's how things should be kept." Nothing more to be said, she silently lifted herself from the grass. A small smile twinkled to the man, considering the words exchanged in the last few minutes. The simple wish of a fallen young prostitute rests on his ill postured shoulders as she abruptly turned on her heel, heading back inside. Alone in thought, 2D searched the stars for any validity that there was truth in Shea's words. The whole time, he thought his urges were one-sided; if it was as she implied, wouldn't Meryn have simply said so? She had no problem being on top of him and surely when she'd brushed her lips against his own she could've pressed forward and answered the question now prodding away at his aching brain. The cigarette came to end, being tossed into the street and quickly replaced with another. Using his own lighter, 2D began the process over. Inhale and exhale.  
  
The door closed behind her leaving the man to ponder whatever he and Meryn were. Eyes flitting to left and then the right, Shea returned to the kitchen. Meryn hadn't moved an inch at her exit. Nor did she move in the slightest at her entrance. Taking her seat, Shea glazed over to the puffy-eyed broken woman she'd left behind years ago. With a heavy heart, she accepted that both of them had changed. Neither for the better. "Marin. When you didn't come here like you said you would, I realized something. Want to know what that was?" No response. "I realized that we're similar, but that doesn't mean we're fated to end up in the same place." Wrenching her body in a different direction, Meryn stifled. Pitying, Shea smiled,"I left because...it was time for me to go. There was nothing left for me in Japan." Lip quivering, stifled breathing stilled,"I was there. You could have at least warned me you didn't plan on being there when I really needed you." Nodding she acknowledged the selfishness of her actions,"I'm sorry. But you can do better than me. You can salvage your life. You and...Sato could've..." Shea firmly insisted,"I shouldn't have tried to recruit you. I just missed...you, your strength. But that doesn't mean I should drag you down like I did before..." So badly Meryn wanted to scream, break something and return to being numb, a single tear escaped being wiped away instantly at the refusal to cry,"I was only strong because I had you to lean on."  
  
"Well, now you'll have someone else." Tilting her head towards the door in reference to the man who was waiting for Meryn outside. Chuckling Shea fought back tears of her own,"You're such a water sign. Stop looking back and look forward to the future. Try your luck with someone that'll bring you to a brighter place."  
  
"And what about you?"  
  
"Me? Don't worry about me. I'm fine here."  
  
Somber brown eyes fell on the scars on the pale skin of her former lover.  _Needles?  
  
_ "Seeing you again was the best birthday gift you could've given me. Really." Defensive her hands covered the entry points that several needles had pierced in recent times courtesy of her more recent drug habit. With a fake smile, she cut the visit short,"You need to leave now." The pained eyes that looked back were dying to be with someone that wouldn't leave her, and here Shea was consciously doing it again. This was going to hurt her, and Shea was well aware. Even still, she held her ground,"Leave now. I mean it. And don't come back." Silently, Meryn rose struggling to breathe. Keeping her eyes on the ground, she guided herself out the door. At the sound of the door creaking shut, everything came pouring over. Shea clasped a shaky hand over her lips. Feeling lower than ever before, she held herself unable to stop the tears and the desire to kill herself stronger than ever. But she would take that to her grave; far away from Meryn, out of sight and out of mind if it was the last thing she'd do.   
  
  
_This was a waste of time._  
  
Into the night air, Meryn shuddered still refusing to be weak. 2D sat at the curb where Shea had left him. No need to turn around, he fished the phone from his pocket hailing a taxi to end the night. The ride back stung worse than the ride there. The only two on board on the final train of the night; both knees had turned away from each other. There was nothing to say or do. Two hours couldn't have gone by any slower. At the very least, he would ask her if she was alright. Under his breath, he plainly asked,"Yew O.K.?" Not expecting an answer he leaned back on the glass looking at the swaying of the handles as they made their way back north to Essex. Nothing but the sound of the train gliding over the tracks below and the shaking of the cars.   
  
"No."  
  
A response came late, Meryn buried her face in her arms leaning over to her knees. Her breathing erratic and worrying. Glancing he watched to make sure she wouldn't pass out or hurt herself; gradually the rising and falling of her back slowed into a consistent pattern. She had fallen asleep; with a hearty sigh, 2D relaxed knowing she wasn't in pain for the moment. Before long, he drifted off to sleep himself letting the rocking of the car lull him away from the unease of the night. When they arrived at the station, he'd look after her but as far as he was concerned she was a different person than who she was hours prior. It felt like a few short minutes of sleep were had before, the train doors had opened. Blinking himself awake, 2D looked down at her sleeping form," Kat--Meryn, we're here."  
  
Soon after he'd called her by name, she rose letting her arms fall to her sides. Tear stained blots were all over her jeans. Eyes puffy and swollen she stood on her own walking out of the car, leaving 2D to sit stunned and useless at the sight of this forever troubled girl cry. Pained by the sight alone, he gulped knowing he'd failed her. How could the possibility of love apply to his lackluster performance? Dragging his feet, he followed a little further behind, too afraid and ashamed to walk beside her. The swaying of loosened curls bounced with every quick-paced step she took. She wasn't sprinting, and yet she was effectively running away from him. An invisible wall between them expanded and slammed the gate shut in 2D's face. There were no locks to keep him from getting through, but he was no longer moving. Stopping dead in his tracks, simply looking beyond the barrier at her retreating form. Further behind he fell, making no attempt to catch up. Shoulders slumped, 2D stood gangly and rueful. Maybe it was better off this way? That wasn't true, and he knew it well.   
  
But for now, he would believe it.


	19. Wishes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally. After days of no internet access I can post! Holy shit, fuck hurricane Irma. On a note relating to this chapter; fluff. Fluff and resolve.

 

 

Silence had engulfed much of Kong Studios.  An air that was eerier than the restless spirits that occasionally haunted the halls. 2D sat by himself at the kitchen table staring blankly at the ashtray containing a months worth of cigarette butts; or for 2D and Murdoc, the only smokers in Kong, a week's worth. It was more full than usual because 2D had parked himself here every day since the last time he actually spoke to Meryn. The day after they returned from their spur the moment trip to Brighton she'd locked herself in her room, only coming out for sustenance every so often. He'd heard from Noodle that she had contact with everyone else but him; clearly, Meryn had made it a point to go out of her way and avoid him in particular. Grumbling to himself, his foot began to tap restlessly at the foot of the table. Bothered, he folded his arms, a pout pooching out on his chapped lips.

"Wow."

Black holes shot up to face the snarky tone of the guitarist who stood shaking her head across the room. Back against the wall she sighed pushing the fringe out of her face to flash a patronizing glare,"Come on now. This is stupid. What'd you do anyway?" Tight-lipped, he wasn't sure what to say,"I din't do nothin'." He really hadn't, but maybe that was the problem; 2D looked back to the ashtray, bridging his fingers he leaned forward onto the table. With a sigh, he brought himself to his feet standing abruptly,"Gonna go for a walk." Trying his best to ignore the shaking of Noodle's head in his peripheral, 2D walked off down the hall. Looking over his shoulder he checked not so stealthily for any lingering housemate that would judge him no doubt for his actions or lack thereof. No one was there; the moment he knew he was alone his shoulders fell, exhausted and weary having been stressed out about something that could be solved by simply speaking to Meryn. But alas; he dragged himself along back to the confines of his own room.  
  
The moment the door closed behind him, 2D let out a loud groan and sigh. His voice warbled as he made his way to his bed, promptly flopping onto it his stomach. Face tucked away in the pillows, he mumbled nonsense, the only audible noise being the low hum of his voice. Flinging his head back he took a sharp breath before slamming his face back into the pillows. This was annoying, even for him. Rolled onto his side he stared aimlessly at the door; hoping Meryn would just walk in on her own. It was wishful thinking that things would be made easy for him. When the knock never came, he smirked rolling his eyes," Knew it..." In a couple blinks of the eye, everything went dark. His subconscious replaying the same painful moment over and over again. The moments that he did nothing. Many times since then, 2D had memorized everything as it happened that day a month ago. The things he found out about her. None of which were particularly terrible, but it was staggering to think that he was in the dark when it came to simple things about her. Meryn was someone he had interest in for many reasons although he wanted to ignore it all, she was more than just a friend at this point. For some reason, he couldn't quite put his finger on what she was to him. One thing was for sure, the thought of her going through with the original plan of selling herself was aggravating. 2D wasn't one to judge, but he remained quite sure that that lifestyle wasn't meant for her. In the time he had to think, he also realized that somehow, Meryn's remaining feelings for Shea were...painful. In his sleep he rolled over onto his back, laying his arm across his chest. Heavy breathing ensued the more the thoughts hammered away at his dreams.

 

  
Is this what she felt like when he was dating Amelia? No. Shea was nice to him, she made it apparent that she was rooting for him to step up and be with her. Distorted memories and all,  he could still recall the moment she laid in bed beside him. Nothing had happened, but deep down he wished something had. More than anything he wished the girl he made out with on New Year's day would miraculously be Meryn like she hinted. But wishful thinking hadn't gotten 2D anywhere so far, humming in his sleep he accepted that fantasy didn't have a hope in hell of being true. Still...

A smile crept across his face, his mind going places his conscious self wouldn't allow.

_The warm body laying beside him occasionally brushed up against him, each time sending a chill down his spine. He had suggested they watch a horror flick but he couldn't concentrate on the screen. Instead, he rolled onto his side. Propping himself up with an elbow, he fixed his dark glassy eyes on her form, following the curve at the small of her back and trailing over the hill of her backside. Down to her thighs and long legs, ending at her feet. Brows flickering, he retraced the trail his eyes had followed, back to where he started. Instead of the back of her hoodie, he came face to face with her. Meryn. It seemed she had taken notice of the shameless staring he succumbed to seconds ago. 2D gulped having been caught red-handed, flitting his gaze to anywhere else in the dimmed room. Sudden uproarious chuckles from her shook the mattress, her voice hitched nearly choking on the laugh. Hysteric, she rolled onto her back bringing her knees to her chest. Hearty bellowing had brought tears to her eyes; on her back, the hood pooled around her head, showing the leftover curls of the night before, pinned up in attempt to hide unstraightened hair from him. Sighing she calmed herself, turning only her head, a couple locks fell framing her face,"You're so easy, D."_

_2D blinked recalling those words from months ago. Things were repeating themselves, instances in which he could have had her resurfaced all at once. In a flash she was on top of him; back on the floor of her room, the night their relationship became not so platonic. The familiar sensation of soft kissable lips ghosted over his own,"How badly do you want me D?" Another gulp, 2D squeezed his eyes shut trying to fight off the memories. The sound of shifting and a sigh that puffed warmth into his ear brought his eyes wide open. An eyeful of her was what he got. They were somehow in his room and her own at the same time. Every time he blinked, different sights of Meryn played out. Body pressed against his, the tight fitted dress from the night at the ballroom grazed against him. His eyes traveled everywhere; sitting up on his elbows she accommodated his position changing her own to straddle him. Brown, almost amber eyes were staring into his soul above; on their own, his hands grazed over the skin peeking out from the slit of her dress. Hands circled at her knees, getting a smirk of amusement from the young woman perched on top of him. The gaze fell to her lips where they slanted, upturned and swollen at the bite of her canine. At the mere flicker of the eye, the dress was gone, replaced with the bra he'd had the honor of getting his hands on. As if dream Meryn could read his mind, her hands shot from her sides pulling his own forward to rest two ready to receive open palms against her breasts. The thumping in his chest was becoming unruly, his heart almost beating out of control. She smiled brightly, beaming down at him,"Did we...last night?"_

_Everything came full circle and an instant she was pinned beneath him, her back thudding against the carpeted floor of her room. Wide-eyed, Meryn grinned,"You should have done this a long time ago."  
_  
_"I know. Tha's why I'm doin' it nao."  
_  
_His lips crashed against hers, reliving the sensations he felt before from some mystery woman at New Years. It was wishful thinking, but unconscious why not go with it? Long fingers worked their way through her hair, twisting at every curl, the pads of his fingers pressed down on her scalp. Head tilted she latched on at the mouth, moaning into the passion-driven kiss that had him losing himself. Lightly she nipped at the rim of his mouth. He could feel himself drifting to some otherworldly plane. The flicking of her tongue lapped at his lips until he permitted entry. A strong grip on her chin and he dove his own back into hers. Nothing new had happened but the joining of lips alone was enough to turn him on. Against his mouth, she smiled grinding forward at the involuntary nudge in between their bodies,"You're hard."_

_Vibrating with shameless needs, he cackled aloud looking down at her with sin-filled spiraling dark eyes, "Loike yew said, I'm easy, love."_

 

**THUD THUD**

Eyes shot open; in a snort, 2D flailed kicking his feet in the air. Startled he looked around from left to right searching for whatever the noise was. Biting his bottom lip, he scratched the back of his head staring at the empty spot next to him in bed. It was all just a dream, but--

**THUD THUD**  
2D jumped in place, falling off the side of the bed, his bum thudding against the concrete flooring. Wincing, he howled,"J-Jus a minute!" Violent blows shook the door. The hinges trembling at the relentless force on the other side. "OI OPEN THE FUCK UP!" Screamed at him from the other side of his door. Murdoc, no doubt. Hissing under his breath, he hurried to his feet,"Okay okay keep calm Murdoc!" The moment he turned the knob, the door was kicked in. Faltering to the ground, his tailbone hit the concrete once again.

"Fffffflippen' eck!"

"Yeah yeah. Shut up you. Wouldn't have happened if you opened the door when I first told you," Murdoc let himself in stepping on 2D's hand as he stomped past. The yelps that came from him waving his hand in pain only brought amusement to his abuser. Taking a quick look around, he turned to face the man on the floor,"Looks like shit in here. Anyway, while you were sitting around on your bony ass being useless, I took it upon myself to give our dear old Meryn something to smile about for a change." Smirking he cackled,"Since you can't do it I mean." Gaze averted, 2D held his limp hand unable to bring himself to look Murdoc in the eye, knowing what he said was true.

"I brought a special guest here today. You do know what today is right?"

"'Er birfday?"

"That. And a chance to not look like a total moron." Boasting ensued, Murdoc puffed out his chest looking quite pleased with himself. "I pulled some strings and got a certain someone to come on over." Head cocked to the side, 2D tried to imagine who that might be,"Erm. Who'd yew get?"

 

* * *

  
"MARIN!!!!!"

The covers flung at the kicking of her feet draping over the bedside. Before she could completely fall off the bed, Meryn's hand shot out and balanced onto the carpet. Tussled hair fell forward engulfing her head like an umbrella. With the flip of her head, the wild locks flew over her shoulder to see the face of Ruri inches away knelt in front of her bed. In surprise she barreled backward, flinging her arms about and sliding off the side onto her butt. Through messy strands, Meryn glared daggers blowing the unruly hair from her face,"How'd you get in here?" Ruri rolled her eyes, pursing her lips out in amusement,"What you're not happy to see me?!" Immediately the both of them burst into laughter; Ruri fell back on her hands to sit,"I missed your last birthday, so here I am!"

"Oh yeah."  
  
Reaching for her phone, Meryn flipped it open to display the date and time. February 23rd, 2006 9:04 A.M. Ruri flew forward, grasping the birthday girl's shoulders,"YOU'RE OLD!" She practically screamed into her face. "You'll be joining me next month idiot," for the first time in awhile she genuinely smiled. After weeks of hiding away from 2D, she'd nearly lost her grasp on time and the passing days. It came quicker than she prepared for, but then again cowering in your room will do that. "So...," Ruri started flipping long black hair over her shoulder,"Murdoc tells me you've been stuck in here for some time." The smile melted away, being replaced with a snarling look of disappointment."Why are you still talking to him?" Pursing her lips, she smirked,"You'll be happy to know I slept with him again." A loud drawn out sigh tore through the room. Meryn rolled her eyes holding the temple on her head,"I can't even look at you anymore." The comment was met with a playful shove,"Hush Marin. You wouldn't be so uptight if you were sleeping with 2D." The look on her face that followed was hard to describe, a mix of astonishment and annoyance. "Don't do that Ruri," she warned tilting her head.  
  
"Yeah yeah, I know you and your tendency to flip out crazy," she mockingly grinned,"But you wouldn't hurt me, Marin. Besides, if you want me to talk to him for you, you'll be nice to me." 

"Hmph," she snorted,"Aren't you supposed to be nice to the birthday girl?" Ruri simply stuck out her tongue in response,"I'll be nice when you leave your room." The light-hearted expression suddenly turned serious,"You've got to stop this habit, Marin. It only hurts people." She was right, her avoidance of other people often got in the way of what should be simple. Guilty she lowered her head,"I know..." Silence filled the void between them for a moment. The next it was broken with a sigh. A gentle hand patted Meryn atop her head,"Dumb dumb." It had been awhile since she'd felt so small, Meryn hummed trying to muster up the words to convey what she felt,"I saw Shea last month. 2D came along too..."

"And?" Ruri pushed the conversation along gesturing for her to continue. Meryn bit her lip; shrugging she looked off at the corner of her room,"And things got complicated." A look was shot from honey brown eyes  to awkward deep brown ones,"Don't tell me you still have feelings for that girl." Stammering she couldn't quite land on the words she needed to say,"I don't know anymore...she's different." Nodding, Ruri tried to understand,"Why'd you bring 2D with you?" "Well...," she thought for a moment, racking her brain for the reason why. "I was afraid to go alone....and he's always available?" Shaking her head she spat out her best guess,"I don't know! I like him apparently and he's nice and...shit!" Meryn's heart fluttered just admitting it. To the amusement of her friend, a huge smile broke out across Ruri's face,"Aww, you know...I'll go talk to him for you if you want."

"NO!"

Ruri's laugh barked from wall to wall,"I was kidding! Sort of!" Straightened up she stood up,"I'll just give him some advice that's all."

 

"Oh! By the way...," she turned on her heel at the door at her exit,"You should thank Murdoc, he paid for my flight. He said you were all depressed so he gave me a call." Stunned, she blinked wondering why Murdoc would do anything for anyone other than himself. Shrugging, she closed the door behind her walking off towards the stairs murmuring to herself 2D's possible whereabouts,"I think his room is in the basement...."

 

* * *

  
  
2D sat across from a girl he barely knew, who decidedly ended up staring him down from where he sat. Uncomfortable he twiddled his thumbs, crossing his leg over a knee,"So um. Did yew 'ave a nice flight?" After a short while, she burst into laughter slapping her hands on her knees,"You're so awkward!" A bit perturbed, 2D blurted back,"Yer tha one bein' awkward!" Her head bobbed from side to side in agreement,"True true. Anyway. Down to business." A thick brow rose in question,"Wot business?" Smug, Ruri chirped,"About your business with my poor dumb best friend."  
  
"Wh-wha bout 'er?" He staggered wanting to avoid the awkward conversation. Fidgeting began at the tapping of his foot. Although clearly bothered, he pushed a finicky gapped smile to at least pretend to not be an anxious wreck. However, Ruri pressed on,"I heard you met Shea." It was clear the unease he felt showing plain on his face,"Y-Yeah I did."  
  
"Alright," she stood waltzing over to sit beside him,"What happened?"  
  
"Well...,"he held his cheek,"Got decked in tha' face f'one fing..." Her head flew back,"By Marin?!" Wildly 2D shook his head,"N-No! Jus by some gutter bloke tha' Shea was livin' wiff...," he trailed off, setting his foot back on the floor with a sigh,"Everfing got sorted though. Kat got in a spat wiff the guy and he went t'hit 'er. So I jus stepped in and took the punch f'her." Her slender form swooned from side to side,"Aww. I imagine she beat the guy up then?"  
  
"Pretty much yeah. It was kinda scary." He plainly replied cracking his knuckles,"I tried to stop 'er. Din't really work ol' tha' well though." Thinking to herself, Ruri brought her finger to her lip,"Yeah but, she did it because you got hit." He hadn't thought about that.  Head bowed, 2D chuckled,"I guess tha' fact went ova' moi head." "What else?" She prompted him to continue, nudging his shoulder.  
  
"She talked bout some gurl who passed; Shea started t'cry, but Meryn got real cold loike...Din't recognize 'er after tha'. Specially after she said she was gon' rent 'erself out...to a buncha random men," he shook just recalling it all. "Now I ain't one t'judge gurls tha' make a livin' tha way, but Meryn doin it is just weird." 2D prepared himself for some kind of backlash, wincing he wondered if he'd be hit for speaking his mind that boldly.  Soon after he realized, there was no danger. Ruri leaned over placing her elbows on her knees,"That thought bothers me too. I just don't want her to be put in another....out of control situation." Her words dug deep, burrowing into his head. "I don' want 'er t'be hurt loike tha' again. I don't wan' tha' f'anybody," he watched her disturbed expression lighten a bit. With a smile, she turned to face him,"Me either. You know, Shea had a similar life."  
  
"Really? Whaddya mean?"  
  
"Her father...he failed her. He was the one who made Shea who she is...And when her mom found out she was kicked out. From then, Shea was just couch surfing. She even stayed with Meryn awhile. You could say they...bonded over similar pain...Just in more ways than one," a tinge of unease struck her features. Nodding, he knew why, "She told me tha' much. Tha's fine. Got nuthin' against tha' kind o'relationship." Thinking back, he recalled the conversation he had with the girl of interest. "Shea, she um said Kat and I were mean't t'be together. Well, aside from our horoscopes orrrr tha' stars or somefink," shrugging he drew a blank. "Donno much about stuff loike tha'."  
  
"Ahahaha!" She rocked back and forth,"Shea told you that? You being a Gemini and her being a Pisces has nothing to do with if you're meant to be. If you have a connection things'll work themselves out." Sitting up straight she rose a finger, matter of factly,"Although she IS the Pisces escapist I know her to be, perhaps you can bring a bit of light to her life. Don't let shit like that limit you." Attentive and awestruck he nodded rapidly,"Kay."  
"OKAY!" Jumping to her feet, she stretched reaching at the ceiling,"I got Noodle to make a cake. Meryn hates this sort of stuff, so that's all I'll make her participate in." Turning back, she placed her hands on his shoulders,"You gotta take the reins with her. Just tell her you want to talk. Everything else will work itself out. Promise." With a white gleaming smile, she patted him on the head like she'd done to Meryn earlier,"Come on."  
  
  
  
The task of dragging Meryn out of her room was a group activity. Murdoc was completely whipped by the promise of getting lucky twice in the same day made it his mission to get everyone involved. Door kicked in by beaten up boots, he announced his presence with a thrust of his hips,"Mmmkay now lets get this over with." At the snap of his fingers, Ruri and Noodle bolted in grabbing the cowering girl under her arms and dragging her out the door. As much as she kicked and shrieked nothing changed. Noodle herself was strong enough to yank her in the direction they needed. Down the stairs, Meryn went limp and bland faced accepting her fate. But the moment they rounded the corner and she came eye to eye with the awkward willowy 2D, her legs flung about wildly like an animal trapped trying to claw themselves away. Her feet scampered at the attempt to dart back to the safety of her room; only to be blocked by Russel's large body blockading the staircase. Shaking his head, Russel sighed and easily lifted her in one swoop flinging her over his shoulder,"Quit being difficult. It's just for a little while."  
  
Defeated; Meryn allowed herself to be carried into the kitchen and into the darkness. Shades drawn and lights out, a low glow shined bright orange enveloping her face as she begrudgingly took her seat. Slowly her gaze traveled up the figures standing around her; Ruri beamed with Murdoc standing close by practically hovering over her shoulder taking a peek at the cleavage at the V-neck of her sweater, Noodle took a seat in front of her offering a smile that seemed to wish her well, Russel stood arms crossed over his chest awaiting the first cut of the cake. The only one who stood far off was 2D who remained in the doorway, weakly raising a hand to wave in encouragement. Birthday wishes seemed stupid no matter how old she got, but at this moment she found herself thankful. A small smile found its way on her face. Bashful and not wanting to make a big deal about the passage of time, Meryn couldn't help but genuinely feel lucky. If wishes could come true, she'd take her chances with this ragtag group. With a deep breath, the little flames flitted out engulfing the room in total darkness.  
  
"Thanks you guys."  
  
  
  
Eyes watching spoonfuls of cake being shoved into Russel's mouth, Meryn continued to take small bites taking in the atmosphere around her. Everything was pleasant. As sickening as it was, even Murdoc and Ruri flirting off to the side was bizarrely serene. Noodle had walked off by herself once she was content with the situation, disappearing to the confines of her room no doubt. She decided to take a lesson from Russel and shoveled cake into her mouth trying to thoroughly enjoy something for once. Her cheeks stuffed full of cake, she jumped slightly at gentle tap that came at her shoulder unannounced. "Hey, Kat...culd we talk?", 2D's nerves seemed to be getting the best of him, there was a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. The first time looking at him in a while; Meryn sat in wonder caught in the same dark eyes that drew her in months ago. The twinkle of a smile etched on her face. For the first time in so long she was looking at him and what she saw brought her happiness. After a moment she realized that she hadn't answered,"Mmhm!" Floundering a bit, 2D jerked his head motioning for her to follow into the hall. The chatter in the kitchen quieted from where they stood across from the elevator. With a deep-drawn out breath, his eyes squeezed shut and he blurted out his worries,"Are yew mad at me?" Rattled, Meryn blinked a few times silently shaking her head.  
  
"Huh?! Really?!" The way he chimed in surprised, her. Again he seemed to switch gears no problem. Just a moment ago he was as anxious as she was, but now he merely stood mouth agape in disbelief. Curiosity piqued, she brought herself to ask,"Are you mad at me?"  
  
"No...Iunno,"hands in his pockets, it dawned on 2D he hadn't thought what he'd say through beforehand. "What'd I do?" She asked lowering her gaze. Quickly he tried to fix it waving his hands about,"Nothin'! I jus din't know how t'feel bout the way yew were then..."

  
"I can get like that sometimes...," Meryn admitted, kicking her feet she made it a point to stare at his shoes and nothing else. "But why?" He inquired wanting to understand. After a brief silence, she hummed switching her sight to the ceiling,"Because...things hurt." Taken back, he backed himself against the wall,"So why act loike tha'?"  
  
"Defensive mechanism."  
  
"And it werks?"  
  
"Sometimes..."  
  
Holding his head, 2D was fed up with his inability to understand what would make someone numb themselves to that degree,"I don' get it." Just as he was about to give up, Meryn began to chuckle to herself. In the corner of his eye, she vibrated in laughter covering her mouth with her hand. He smirked, lightened up a bit," Fink its funny?" Brown eyes rolled off to the side with a smile,"A little. But anyway, you don't have to get it D."  
  
"But I wan' to," he drew forward, eyes narrowed and trying to read her expression. This close to her face, anxiety emitted, practically vibrating off of her,"Sometimes, when things happen, people try and numb themselves so it doesn't have to hurt." Pursing his lips, 2D held his chin,"Loike...bracing yerself?" Head bobbing from up and down, hair dipped at her shoulders down her back,"Basically." The tip of his tongue poked out from his lips in deep thought,"Kay." A mystified look about him, Meryn couldn't help but wonder what his mind had drifted off to,"What're you thinking?"  
  
"Hm?" Resting his hand by his side, he propped his leg against the wall,"Bout yew f'course." Immediately her cheeks became warm, in attempt to hide it she turned her head away for a moment willing the flush away as much as she could. It didn't matter, he noticed anyway. Raising a thick brow 2D smirked uncertain of her mannerisms," Yer so weird Kat."  
  
"So are you. You're part cool, part dork."  
  
Laughing out loud, 2D leaned forward holding himself,"Sooo lippy!" Wiping a tear from his eye, he cocked his head to the side humming in contemplation on whether he should say exactly how he felt and just go with it. She was complex but alluring enough to keep him interested. A strangely charming snaggle-toothed smile beamed down at her,"Yer cute." The biggest dumbest grin stretched across her face regardless of how badly she wanted to play it cool. With a chortle, 2D shook his head,"Nuthin' t'say now yeah?"  
  
Bringing a bold finger to his lips she shushed him, glaring through smiling eyes. Stifled he mumbled at her finger somehow managing to speak,"Yer hard to figure out Kat. Yew know tha'?" The index finger left his lips brushing against them briefly on release. Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded to herself,"Hnn. It'd be nice to be...simple. Like you." Shoulders bouncing he chuckled,"Loike me? Whaddya mean?" Her head flew back onto the wall, blowing the bangs from her eyes,"You're so...free. I wish I could go about life like you." Concern heavy in his own eyes, 2D shook his head in disagreement,"Moar has happened t'yew than me." She sighed,"Maybe....but I have to stop myself from going crazy." "Innit best t'let it out?" He scratched his chin, brows furrowing in contemplation. "It scares people. Even me...I'm not strong like you D." He did a double take he was so baffled,"Loike me??" Stuttering he started to laugh off her claim,"I'm not!"  
  
"Yes, you are. No one gives you credit where its due. Not even you." She seemed serious enough, but he couldn't grasp where she might have gotten that idea from. His eyes gradually lowered to the floor,"I'm not ol' tha' strong." By and by, Meryn gathered the courage to step closer; on the tips of her toes she leaned in lightly pressing her lips to 2D's cheek,"You are to me." She spoke delicately into his ear as her arms wrapped around his neck. Frozen in place by her touch, he could feel the intensity of her heartbeat echoing from within thawing away the stiff posture. Slowly his eyes closed letting himself be engulfed in her arms. On their own his arms wrapped around her waist, an open palm placed on the small of her back. Resting his head in the crook of her neck he responded,"Yew fink so?"  
  
"Mhm."  
  
Relaxing her hold, Meryn's arms fell trailing down his side. She stepped back awkwardly once released from his lingering embrace," And thank you for defending me back then. Was your cheek O.K. after awhile?" Grazing her fingers across what was once swollen bruised flesh, she studied his face ignoring the rising panic in the pit of her stomach being so bold. He himself shyly smiled, his larger hand cupped her own where it lay on his cheek; a low rumble in his voice vibrated at her fingertips,"S'no problem, love. Happy birfday."


	20. El Manana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty the end of Phase 2.

Today was the day. It all came quicker than expected; whether she was ready or not, Noodle would be leaving after today. The only good thing that came out of her impending absence was the opportunity to be on set for a Gorillaz music video. Peering out the window, Meryn studied the barren terrain of what looked to be a desert. Beside her 2D sat improper in the back seat, lengthy legs taking up a hefty amount of the limited space. Aimless he bopped his head from side to side, tapping his index finger against the seat he hummed a tune he'd been working on in the last month. The rocks and gravel pitter pattered underneath the car, taking over the roar of the engine increasing in speed. The sound of a rain stick rattling in his ears caused him to lose the beat bring the tapping to a halt. Up front, watching through the rearview mirror, Murdoc surmised the discontent that would follow. Disappointed, 2D bowed his head, an inaudible sigh pushed out to confirm his guess. Shoulders bouncing in mockery, the man shook his head stepping on the gas even harder. They had been going straight for awhile now; only at the increased speed did the scenery suddenly start to change. An inspiring earthy sight came into view at the approach of a deep canyon; not too far off the floating island, anchored and lowered to the ground hovering over the vast dry soil among them all.  
  
 Without warning, Murdoc stomped onto the breaks. The tires screeched sending clouds of dust and gravel about at the swerve of the car coming to an abrupt stop. In the back seat the two of them were thrown violently into each other; the moment the car shifted into place, Meryn and 2D went flying to the opposite side. Arms extended, 2D barricaded himself at the back door stopping either of them from flying through the glass. Still, her skull slamming into his chest on impact served as a powerful headbutt, enough to knock the air out of him. Wide-eyed and trembling a burst of air came from his lungs,"Hngh!" The groan was more like a yelp, his voice wavering as he tried to regain his breath. Meryn's arms flew out to catch herself from completely falling into his lap. Propping herself in between the driver's seat and the back in which they found themselves packed into the corner. Her legs reached the other side; bending her knees she lifted herself off his lap plopping onto the middle cushion. Hair flung at the turn of her head, angry eyes on Murdoc,"What the hell?!" Sharpened teeth bit down on his bottom lip at the smarmy chortle escaping through,"No need whining about it now, we're here aren't we?" Turned in the seat, Meryn glanced to 2D; slumped against the window he held his chest putting up a pained but genuine smile,"I'm ol'right."  
  
"That's a shame. I'll have to try harder next time," Murdoc chuckled under his breath pushing the car door open. Cool dry air gusted into the car blowing Meryn's hair about; some strands in her eyes she swore under her own breath gesturing for 2D to help her out of the car. Back door open, a hand extended to her pulling her to her feet with little effort. Through squinted eyes, she could see the dorky look on his face trying not to laugh at her sight. Silently, the same hand pulled the stray hairs aside; fingertips brushing her eyes and cheeks. Meryn's eyes fluttered open at their removal. Standing in front of her, his deep eyes pulled her in. He'd fixed his face. Mostly, his cheeks puffed up and filled with air at the shaking of unfulfilled laughter. In a few blinks, she completely cleared her vision. The dust filled wind blew swirling at their feet some particles more airborne than others finding their way to her eyes. Quickly, her hands rose shielding them, only peeking through her fingers at the set of the shoot. People walked around from trailer to trailer busied and in a hurry. A couple of lawn chairs set up in a line facing what looked like the edge of the earth. Wordless; 2D scrunched his eyes looking off in the same direction. Placing a hand on her shoulder he walked past, jerking his head motioning for her to follow.   
  
In no time, Meryn came face to face with the edge of the earth. In one final step she stood above the canyon, the result of mother nature spanned out before her. Brave for a moment, her eyes flicked downward into the depths below. Suddenly regretting doing that they came right back up. Anxious backward steps away from the edge, her balance wavered sending her falling onto the ground. A cloud of dust surrounded her as she shuffled away from the tremendous height.   
  
"Heh heh," a rumbling voice came from immediately behind. Head leaned back by the extension of her neck, an upside-down image of Russel blocked out the sun like an eclipse. He bent forward dragging Meryn away from the edge by her arms,"Go have a seat next to D before you end up killing yourself."  
  
Head hung backward, she pouted,"Where's Noodle by the way?" The dragging stopped at the legs of the chair, setting her down lightly. Russel stood up straight, flexing his arms over his head," She's in position for the shoot." At the end of his stretch, one large arms stayed extended pointing to the island that was anchored nearby. Suddenly excitable, Meryn bounced to her feet, squinting in attempt to spot her soon to be gone, friend. With a hand shading over her eyes, she had been spotted waving down at them all as she plopped onto the grass taking her final position. Goofily, Meryn waved back; more flailing than waving. The feet of the young girl kicked over the edge in laughter staring up at the sky. Very satisfied with herself, Meryn took the seat next to 2D watching Russel trudge off towards the stationed camera crew. Too excited, her eyes were everywhere bouncing a bit in the seat. To her right, 2D sat arms folded watching her with a rather focused expression. Gradually a small smile made its way across his face becoming a wide grin at the thought confirmed in his head. There were so many alluring quirks Meryn had but this one he'd never seen before. Bubbly and carefree she was definitely her cutest. Perhaps the prettiest smile he'd ever seen. Any doubt in his mind cleared up at this moment. If he could, he'd like to see her smile like that as often as possible. Brown orbs stopped on him after awhile still full of wonder and life.  
  
Her brow rose in question,"What?"  
  
"Uhhhh...Nuthin'. Really."  
  
He was a bad liar, expression suggesting that there was in fact 'something' he was keeping from her. Mind made up, 2D would ask her out once they got back to Kong. The dumbest look etched on his face, 2D turned his attention to the floating island. Anchor lifted, it began to ascend. In awe, Meryn watched as everyone switched into gear; the camera crew offering a thumbs up to Noodle as she rose into the sky. Russel sank into the seat on the other side of her resting his legs stretched out onto the ground. The chair beside 2D still empty; Meryn quickly scanned the area in search of a familiar verdant skinned man. Murdoc was nowhere to be found.  _Weird._ Leaning back, her weight rested on the chair; mouth slanted for some reason unknown to her. Something about his absence was concerning. In the corner of her eye, black ones were staring at her taking notice of her sudden decrease in excitement. "Wots wrong?" One thickened brow lifted wondering what had changed her mood. Lips wrenching from one side to the other, she shook her head dismissing the worries that had wandered into her thoughts,"Nothing." At the end of her sentence, the music began to play at the call of the director shouting," Action!" Marking the start of the shoot, the cameras began rolling.  
  
Up in the clouds, Noodle sat near the edge, her eyes closed taking in the moist air of nearby clouds. At the sound of the first note, she opened them; viewing the colors of the sky. Vermilion and melon colored clouds refracting the glow of the soon to set sun.  Graying clouds in the distance accentuated the vibrancy; beams of light peeking through the breaks in the sky. Sunbeams shone brightly, panning over Noodle lightening her features. Slowly she turned her head looking back to the turning windmill feeling the energy of the fantasy she took part in. Gentle breezes blew at the greenery surrounding her; the chiming of ornaments in the wind and tiny blades of grass fluttering about into the sky. Engulfed in the atmosphere she floated to her feet drifting dreamily toward the cliff. In a subtle movement, she picked a little purple flower on the way to take her place at the on the edge. Through her bangs parting at the wind she could see the specks that were her friends down below. At the extension of her arm, she held out the single flower she picked. Leaf green eyes examined the little life she held between her fingertips, squinting reluctant to say goodbye. In a deep breath, she let go. The purple petals being lifted by the current that took it. A smile lined her lips as she sat down onto the grass letting one leg hang over the peak to kick at the open air. In the right corner of her eye, small yellow butterflies fluttered on by; in the left corner impending doom.  
  
Two helicopters loomed in from her side; the beating of the blades cracking the air with sharp sound. Confused, Noodle stood stepping backwards as the helicopters hovered above over the floating island. No warning; a barrage of bullets rained down on her hitting the ground as she ran for cover shielding her eyes and covering her head. Quickly she dove into the tower against the wall hands over her head, cowering at the bullets that made it through just barely missing her most vital points. In shock, her form trembled at the light now beaming in through the holes of the tower. Eyes looking everywhere she was afraid; the sudden shaking of the structure itself had her scooting away from her previous place of safety. Thunderous booming from above shook the entire tower; pieces of wood from the steps spiraling above falling down clattering to the concrete floor. Eyes widened, Noodle held her legs to her chest, neck extended listening for the destruction that was taking place on her beloved island. Her bottom lip quivered, being drawn in. Head lowered to her knees, she hugged her legs close silent and fearing what the near future held.  
  
"W-What's happening?!" 2D below stood to his feet; his hands fidgeting and his posture hunched forward. His head swiveled to Russel taking his fingers in his mouth on by on. Gnawing on his nails, his hands trembled unable to calm himself,"R-Russ?" Russel was just as panicked as he was; stuttering over his words he looked around trying to think of some way to stop this. Angry marble eyes shot to the crew; in a millisecond he held the director up by the neck,"Stop recording! W-Where-The hell is Murdoc?!" The rather short and stout man had no idea, shaking his head from side to side,"I don't know!" With a simple motion, he waved his hand, signaling his crew to stop.  
  
"Don't stop filming."  
  
Murdoc reappeared from wherever he had gone; cigarette in between his fingers he smirked,"Keep the cameras rolling, it's part of the shoot." The delivery of his words, rubbed Russel the wrong way," THE HELL D'YOU MEAN ITS PART OF THE SHOOT?!" At the drop of the director, Murdoc found himself choked out in the giant's grasp. Struggling to speak at the tremendous pressure crushing his windpipe, Murdoc's tongue wriggled out hanging from his mouth,"S..h...e's fi.....ne." In the glare of Russel's eyes, his heart seemed to be breaking in two; his head swung backward to 2D and then to Meryn. She stood completely still staring up at the sky watching as the island disappeared behind the graying clouds. In the distance, the sky was darkening at the collective rainwater ready to provide the dried out land with a torrential downpour. A weary look in her eyes she eventually stared down at the ground looking at her shoes. It felt like time had stopped. The only inkling that she was still in the same reality in which the horrors were taking place was the disturbed look heavy on 2D's face. Her hand balled into a tight fist, afraid to feel the weight of what was happening before them all.  
  
Fiery orange lit up a portion of clouds for reasons unknown to them all until the island reappeared from the clouds. The turbines spun bright in flames, set ablaze by the smoking tower that had taken damage. The setting sun took the technicolor rays of light over the horizon darkening the sky to the dreariest of days. Ruthlessly, the gunning down of the floating island resumed as the helicopters descended from the clouds above. Clumps of land from the floating mass falling into the canyon crevices below. Embers set fire to the once green trees and grasses engulfing the scenery in a nightmarish red. It felt like it happened so slowly. As the final rounds were emptied at the poor youth too far away from the safety of her loved ones; Meryn's jaw dropped in anguish at the sight of the island they once roamed together falling out of the sky hurtling to the canyons below. Moist air smoldered the flames that had nothing left to burn. The island now devoid of life; trees and grass burned to a crisp, the turbines nothing more than flimsy pieces of charred wood. Debris fell from the structure into the crevices, along with belongings of Noodle that were kept there. There was nothing she or anyone else could do. Out of the sky, the calamity fell plummeting past them all into the gorge. The last any of them had seen of the island was it hitting the ground with a roaring thud instantly combusting upon impact. Meryn's feet moved on their own against her fear of heights standing at the edge of the cliffside; eyes on the unrecognizable pile or rumble smoking on the ground. She felt everything, and nothing at the same time. Her feet stood just barely over the edge; a warped look on her face. Mouth scrambled and eyes wide she couldn't speak or breath. Peering over the edge; Meryn wouldn't mind following after. Life was filled with too much death; too much destruction. What was the point of it all? She teetered on the edge for awhile, the urge to preserve her life not present; from behind two arms grabbed her pulling her away, backwards onto the ground yet again. Nothing inside her, she fell into the lap of 2D paying no mind to whoever had stopped her. The arms wrapped around her, holding her tight afraid she might struggle; but that wasn't the only reason. Two tears fell, droplets hitting her face; her forehead directly below his chin. The empty eyes looked up at him watching the devastation rise from within him. His face scrunched, 2D clenched his teeth closing his sorrowful eyes,"Newdle..."  
  
At his words, one of the hovering helicopters brought everything to an end dropping a bomb to ensure her death. Everything went white for a moment; in the next instant, the two of them were blown backward tumbling about like leaves in the wind. 2D held on as much as he could his back hitting one of the trailers parked far from where they originally stood. Hissing he fell forward in pain, not particularly thinking about suffocating Meryn against his chest. Engulfed in the scent of him; only him she shook erratically being overcome with the emotions that were catching up to her. Gasping for air she took in a deep breath of him, stifling at the urge to break in his arms. She was shivering against him, little shrieks of panic humming at his chest. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking; even as she placed her own over his crossed at her chest. Silent, he squeezed her lacing fingers; lifting his head to see the destruction that took place. The parked cars had shifted, pummeled and dented with gravel. The set was no more. Just a group of people scarred by what they'd witnessed.  
  
The majority of recording devices frying in the immense heat of the explosion. Slowly everyone rose from their crouched positions peeking through their fingers or holding themselves in fear. The look of shock and mourning on every single face; except one, Murdoc. Significantly less disturbed he stood scratching the back of his head and rubbing his throat where Russel had restricted his air supply. Black and red irises shot from side to side; only slight concern in his eyes. Peering over to his remaining band members; he noted that 2D still held onto Meryn even after the blast of hot air and rocks sent them quite a distance from where they previously were. Blinking he acknowledged to himself that things had not gone as well as he'd planned. But at least, one thing went right. Holding himself tall, he would do what he needed to move on. After all, he was confident Noodle had survived. But, deep in the back of his head, he wondered if she had actually used the parachute he'd given her. In the last month, he'd prepared for this; giving Noodle the bare minimum on what was to unfold. He had perhaps saved her life; still, the possibility of one of his greatest assets killed off inwardly caused him unease. With a deep sigh, he glanced at Russel who had become silent and released his powerful hold at the earth-shattering sight that was the 'death' of Noodle. All that could be done now, was continuing as he would normally until she rejoined them. If or when she ever did come back; everything would come full circle for him. This didn't get in the way of the upcoming plans he had for his masterpiece, Gorillaz was always his top priority. Silently, he walked towards the director, still frozen in shock. Murdoc simply snapped his fingers, bring the man to attention,"Did you get all that?" Pointing at the partially destroyed recording device, he waited for a response,"Well?"  
  
"Y-Yes."  
  
Arms folded, Murdoc nodded,"Right then. That's a wrap for today."

* * *

 

The days that followed were empty and pointless. Mourning; the process never easy. At the death of another person she cared for Meryn did more than shutting down as she normally would. The occasional visitation to what was once Noodle's room showed strange signs of deterioration; the walls crumbling and cracking just days after. Instead of locking herself in her own room for days on end, Meryn left a crack at the door, somewhat hoping for someone to stop by and remind her she was alive. But understandably so, no one ever came. In silence, she walked around the quieted hallways of Kong; hands in her pockets and little to no effort in her appearance. She'd worn the same shirt for the past 3 days now, the Ancafe band tee she happened to bond with Noodle over. Hair tossed over her shoulder, irregular curls and asymmetric layers of fringe framed her face. She was going nowhere in particular, letting herself end up wherever her feet took her. Where she did end up was a result of her subconscious forever drawing her to 2D. Nothing to say, she boldly peered into the open door of his bedroom. Back turned, he noticed the presence of someone in the doorway,"Yeah?" He asked in a flat tone turning his head to the side to view whoever had came to see him. A slight widening of his rounded eyes at the girl he'd not seen in a few days,"Oh. Hey Kat."

"Hey, D." Her voice croaked, this being the first time she had spoken in a long time. The two of them stared at each other in silence momentarily, his eyes were more baggy than usual folding under the bottom of his eyelids. Mouth slanting, he turned completely around,"I don' know wha' t'do a'times loike this..." Behind his back, 2D held his wrist lowering his posture,"Been finkin' bout moi purpose and ol' tha'. Makin' plans f'the future." Curious, he searched her face for any change no matter how subtle. Just as before, her face was blank the only difference he could find was how wide her eyes were, as if she were in a state of permanent shock. The subtly in her movements made her more foreign than she had ever been before. The cocoa eyes that stared back at him never moved, her head merely nodding ever so slightly. Taking in his bottom lip, 2D bit down finding it hard to say what he needed. "Um. Kat, I'm finking I'm gonna go travel for a bit." Pausing he waited for a reaction, but nothing came. "I need t'get away for awhile. Do moi own stuff, know wha' I mean?" He continued, unable to keep up eye contact with her any longer. At the end of his statement, he took a second to wrench his eyes back in her direction. Meryn's eyebrows were stuck, risen in what appeared to be surprise; tight-lipped she simply nodded again crossing her arms over her chest. Head tilting to the side, he found her lack of response to be worrying,"Kat?" Her visage cringed slightly in response, suddenly reverting back to its blank state,"O.K." Brows furrowed, 2D didn't quite believe her somehow,"S'not easy yew know...But after wha' h'appened I just need t'be on moi own for a bit." Again he waited for a reaction, and again he got nothing.

  
"O.K."  
  
His head fell, wondering how she could hold all this in. He expected her to be sad if nothing else; but as it seemed she wasn't particularly fazed. Saddened by the flow of the conversation, 2D shook his head,"F'awhile Gorillaz'll be on a hiatus I guess. I know Russ is plannin' on do a lil' somefing himself. Fings aren't tha' same wiffout Newdle...so I fink this is best f'now."  
  
"O.K." Her voice wavered for just a second, swallowing the lump in her throat. Meryn held her breath afraid that if she said more, she'd break in front of him. 2D returned his eyes to her, quite irked by her lack of emotion,"Well tha's tha' then."

 It felt like she had been put on the spot under such close judging watch. Meryn faltered taking a step back in the doorway, her hip hitting the metal door frame in all," Sorry." She apologized sensing a similar situation on the rise; it seemed that 2D still didn't understand why she did what she did. Cutting herself off from pain before it could take over. In the blink of an eye, her lips quivered; the crack in her facade almost went unnoticed by him. His eyes softened, brows lifting full of concern,"It's O.K." Eyes closed, the nodded turning in one swift movement pacing down the hallway. An arm extended, he felt he should stop her, but the words didn't come fast enough. The instant he opened his mouth, Meryn had already gone. Dejected, 2D's sank onto his bed. Running the fingers through his hair, he anxiously began to hold his skull; a prominent aching pain starting at his temples and spreading throughout his head. Hands dragging down his face, fingers pulling at the rims of darkened eyelids.

 

 Out of breath; Meryn darted into the elevator, vision blurred through welling tears and faint unable to take much more. At the swift staggering of her hands, she pressed the button, escaping to the upper floor. The doors slid closed, a perfect reflection staring back at the luster of chrome. The eyes that looked back where familiar. She'd looked like this before; panicked, wheezing hand gripping her chest. Terrified of death and hoping for it at the same time. The lift shifted, finally beginning the ascent to better hide herself away from any further pain. After a moment, they reopened releasing her from the reflective prison. Staggering from wall to wall, Meryn tightly grasped her wrist digging her nails into her scarred skin. Images of the people who had come and gone raced across her exhausted mind. The faces of the dearly beloved being shrouded into darkness and taken away, forever. Up the stairs she traveled, still refusing to break anywhere but the confines of her room. At the top of the steps, Meryn stopped short, turning her head to the right. Down the hall, he legs led her to the room of the recently deceased. Closing Noodle's door behind her; it finally happened. In a large burst from her lungs, the air was knocked out of her sending her form barreling forward onto her knees. Nails clawed at the bare skin of her arms dragging the sharpest parts across the raised flesh of the bitter past. Lip quivering; she closed her eyes letting the tears fall as they were meant to. Erratically her chest rose and fell; jerky and jittery movements, flinching every so often out of control of her own body. Leaning forward, she clenched her fists sending them hammering down onto the cracking floorboards. Watery eyes gazed, vision traveling from her barred and now bruising fists to the futon and remainder of unpacked belongings that Noodle had yet to sort out. Streams glided down her cheeks dropping to the floor at the second clash of knuckles to hardwood flooring. Panting through muffled sobs and taking in sharp breaths, Meryn shook her head. Unable to accept that someone else around her had passed. Another time, with more force; she felt the continuing urge to bash into the floor for things she had no control over. Fists bloodied and trembling in pain, her legs staggered causing her to land on her side holding her arms out in pain. _Mom. Dad. Sol. Satomi. Noodle._  
  
Red puffy eyes closed, sniffling she held herself on the floor the sounds of quieting crying echoed around the mostly empty room. Droplets hung on the edges of her lashes eventually falling to the planks below. The hair pooled around her head served as a pillow of sorts. A mixture of sorrow and the comfort of nothing but the echoing of her own whimpering breaths bouncing from wall to wall. In memories of better days, Meryn's overflow of emotions lulled her off into a light sleep. Before long, the creaking of the door behind her huddled vulnerable position. Through her lashes, she could see the light pour in from the hallway. A single silhouette in the doorway holding the door open wide. "You gonna be alright?" The question came from a low tone that stepped forward, lightly kicking at her feet.  
  
"I'm O.K."

 "Hm," Russel chuckled. "You always say that."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry."  
  
Sighing, he knelt down placing his hands on his knees,"You know you don't gotta be sorry for stuff like this right?" Eyes flickering open, Meryn met the gaze of the stocky man looking down to her out of kindness and concern, much like her brother would have when she was being difficult. A glint of life shone brightly overtaken by nostalgia, looking to Russel she saw the face of Sol; without her knowing it she flashed a sunny smile like a child with all their dreams laid out in front of them,"What's wrong with me?" At the lift of his brow, he tilted his head shifting from side to side,"Dunno. Nothin' that ain't part of being human." Humming, Meryn's hair fell onto her face,"You remind me of my brother."

"What happened to him?"

Pausing, she propped herself up on her elbows, crossing her legs over each other. "He was killed." In a passing moment, Meryn turned to glance at Russel wanting to see Sol again,"We aren't sure who did it, but he was found outside his studio in the alleyway after a day or two." Heavily she sighed, beginning to tear up again at the image of his corpse replaying in her head. Shifting in his knelt position, Russel bounced back to a stance peering down at the young disturbed girl on the floor,"Come on, let's get outta here. There's no point in torturing yourself like this." Wiping her eyes, Meryn sniffled blinking up to him,"It's all I can do when someone is gone forever." A twinge of pain struck a chord in him; Russel looked away scratching the back of his bare head,"I know what you mean, but it ain't gonna do you any good. Take my word for it." It dawned on her that she had never talked with Russel about what happened to his friends long ago. Meryn had heard; it was part of the Gorillaz lore, but she'd never heard from his own mouth. Curiosity built up on her features; sunken in eyes just a little brighter, knowing that someone else shared the pain and anguish that came with losing someone. The thought made her feel a little less alone; standing to her feet, Meryn faced him,"Can I ask you then? What happened?" Smirking at first, Russel looked at her sideways; softening up under the teary piercing stare. "My friends were shot up in a drive-by. Gang violence. And Del...he was prolly the closest to me."   
  
"I've always been skeptical about the supernatural, but you're kind of living proof of it all," she quieted racking her brain to even begin and comprehend the presence of some sort of spirit world. Russel laughed to himself,"Stuffs been happening since I was a kid. Turns out, I'm just an easy medium for spirits to manipulate." A silly thought entered Meryn's mind; it was just wishful thinking but still, she wondered if the spirits of her dearly departed still roamed this world. Perhaps on a different plane? Maybe even a trace of Noodle still remained on a spiritual level. In the corner of her eye, she turned her attention to the cracks that had been appearing along the walls of Noodle's room. Returning her eyes back to the pondering mountain of a man across from her, Meryn leaned forward studying him carefully. He seemed to guess why a hearty chuckle broke through his otherwise stony character," Del got exorcised from me last year. Shit was gettin' too crazy." Awkward, she nodded along, questions heavy on her mind,"Would it be weird to ask if you missed him?" Meryn braced herself to be denied an answer, immediately looking away following her query. "Sometimes," his response was instant; calm, cool, and collected,"Del was my friend, but he overstayed his welcome when he took over."  
She stood taken back at how easy going Russel was; she wondered, how had he accepted and rid himself of a mental burden. "I'm guessin' you already know about the near future for Gorillaz," he boldly stated crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
Shifting, Russel rest his back against the frame of the door,"I'll be blunt with you, aight?" Meryn slowly nodded, waiting for a response. In a deep breath, he explained it all,"You wouldn't let yourself cry about the events that happened in the last few days. You just...shut down; scared D half to death when you looked like you would jump. Scared me too, if I'm bein' honest." Guilty, she lowered her head,"I'm...sorry." The consistency of his speech faded becoming raspier and lower still,"You were about to cry comin' back up from 2D's room, saw you when I was walking down the main hall." Head hung lower, she winced; she hadn't seen him, but apparently, Russel had seen her. "I just put two and two together," he continued,"And since you two have uh...whatever you'd call your relationship, I figured he told you the both of us was leavin' Kong soon." Somewhat embarrassed, Meryn wasn't sure which part was more humiliating; Russel seeing her near tears, or how accurately he described the entirety of their relationship with 2D. Brooding; she realized how he guessed her knowledge of their pending departure. Meryn never showed her pain to anyone, even witnessing death she didn't all the way come undone. What had done it; what had pushed her over the edge, was knowing deep in the back of mind not only had she grown attached to him, she was also in the process of falling in love with him.  
  
_Love._  
  
This feeling was never felt for any man; it was new but more than anything else, annoying. The stereotypical mushy feelings never applied to her. Meryn found the idea of someone legitimately falling in love with her to be out of her reach. The one person whom she loved, didn't return it; at least not in a romantic sense. In the case of a foreseeable future with 2D, Meryn's hopes continued to dwindle. Recalling the times he failed to understand her and things she did, allowed her to imagine what he must've truly thought about her. Although too nice to ever say it outright; 2D most likely tolerated her bothersome tendencies and burdening disabilities. Bleak; she sneered, lids lowering over her pupils dimming the sight of Russel in across from her,"So obvious it hurts. Isn't it?" Indifferent, he shrugged; heavy shoulders dropping back into place,"Nah. Nothin' I haven't seen before." Pearlescent orbs narrowed at a thought,"If D leaving hurts so bad, why don't you ask him to stay?" At the bowing of her head, she dismissed the qualm that maybe he would stay if she simply asked it of him,"Because that'd be selfish of me." In another attempt, Russel spoke again,"You know something tells me he prolly would. Back when he grabbed you off that ledge, he acted on his impulse. Usually, he just sits there, twiddling his thumbs. Always waiting for things to resolve themselves, D ain't the imposing type." A serious look about him, he sternly instilled the image into her brain,"He took it upon himself to act quick. Which is more than I've ever seen his uncoordinated ass do in years." In unease, Meryn tried not to blush,"He's just being nice, and even if there was something more...I couldn't keep him away from what he wants. If he wants to get away for awhile, I don't think he should be held back by me." Even though she wanted to, Meryn wouldn't take the chance of adventure away from him. 2D was breezy; going at his own pace, allowing himself to feel and experience life as it came. In a perfect world; she would love nothing more than for him to continue to be the light in her darkness, but he deserved true happiness. Not to be sunken in, dragged under in the depths of her presence. It was best to let him go.  
  
"Hm," Russel hummed to himself,"So what're you going to do when we're gone?"  
  
"I haven't thought about it. It hasn't been a year yet...and I didn't think I'd have to leave so soon." Wrenching her head away from the darkness of Noodle's room, Meryn peered into the light if the hall, squinting as her eyes adjusted. "I don't know, I guess I'll try and find a job here. Can't go back to Japan until I can pay my grandparents back."   
  
"Pay em' back? For what?"  
  
Her eyes widened to their usual shape,"They paid my bail and vouched for me. I won't let myself go back until I can return what they spent on me." Intensity in her eyes, Meryn took a breath,"I owe it to them to get my shit together and stand on my own two feet so they can enjoy their retirement like normal grandparent's do."  
  
"I can respect that," pushing himself off the frame, he faced the inside of Noodle's room," D leaves at the end of the week; you can tell him, or don't. It's all up to you." Standing up straight, Meryn stuck her neck out in question,"And you? When do you leave?" One brow rose at the interest she'd taken in him,"Me? Uh, the week after the next." Facing her, he hardened his expression,"Anyway, let's leave. No use torturing yourself in here. You're gonna have to grow and move forward from this. Staying in her room won't bring Noodle back." In a couple steps, Russel leaned in, grasping the handle. Stepping aside, she swallowed her grief, watching the door come to a close.

* * *

  
In no time at all, the day had arrived. The bright rays of sunlight blinding him on the way to his designated gate. Beyond the crystal clear glass, numerous planes taking off or landing onto the runway caught his attention. Step by step the promise of a new life was within reach, but...The hindering reminder of what he was leaving behind ate way at him still. Just a few short days after the last time he spoke with the forever elusive young woman that was Meryn Jakes. All the loose ends pertaining to Gorillaz itself had been tied off in advance, but this girl was impossible to even begin to completely understand. She had been avoiding him, again; in the final days of his stay at Kong Studios, he began to wonder if she even cared at all anymore. The last time they had spoken, she had barely said anything. His lack of understanding the complex young woman continued to add to the already painful headaches. The bags under his eyes looked more discolored than usual, considering his sleepless nights of mourning Noodle and bursting a blood vessel at how no matter what he always seemed to do the wrong thing when it came to Meryn. 2D only knew how to act like himself, it was unlike him to be anything less than dense. Even now, the thought annoyed him, bringing his brows to furrow and his nose to crinkle. Through a compacted crowd of Americans coming off their flight, 2D spotted his gate number. Shifting and turning he tried to weasel his way through in attempt to in the very least accommodate the newcomers. At random, his feet were stepped on or his side was jabbed on accident by the tourists paying no mind to their surroundings or the people who attempted to walk through. Standing in the middle of the blockade of foreigners he towered over the majority of people. Quick glances from them all quickly became head turns and undisguised gawking. All this for trying to walk the 50 feet from where he stood to the airport gate.   
  
Pens and paper were shoved at him as the crowd closed in around him locking him in place, young women of all different shapes, sizes, and colors prodding him for attention. Some desperate to touch him, purposely brushed against him bouncing in place from skin contact. "Uh yeah uh 'scuse me-AH!" More hands darted out pulling at his shoulders or petting his arms. Flustered, 2D accepted his fate,"Ol' rioght ol' rioght, keep ya hands t'ya self! I'll make it quick and sign off on whatevah yew lot 'ave." One of the many pens found its way wedged between the webbing of his fingers as if he were on autopilot, 2D wrote out random messages to quiet them all in hopes that they'd leave him be if he gave them what they want.  
  
"Uh...Stay. In. School." He read aloud as he wrote on some random piece of paper the closest girl had insisted he write on,"From 2-D." One down and about a hundred to go. "Kay gimme tha' next one!" Shrill screeches sounded out around him, way too many pushing and shoving, at this point he would write down anything to calm them down.  
  
"Annnd yew get...'Follow yer dreams! Yers truly, 2-D."  
  
"I loike yer shoes. From 2-D"  
  
"I dunno wha' else t'say... From, 2-D."  
  
"Send help. From Mista 2-D."  
  
"2-D." To make up for the lack of creativity on this one, he drew a butterfly that resembled a kindergarten drawing that wouldn't even find its way on the nicest family's refrigerator.   
  
Girl after girl after girl, it all finally came to an end,"Ol' right tha's bout ol' I 'ave time for, tryna catch moi flight. So um, please move now? Please?" He blundered shuffling away, waving his arms rapidly at anyone who attempted to stop him, a dorky uncomfortable look on his face. In a deep breath, his lungs filled with air. A huge sigh of relief burst out from his mouth basking at the safety of his gate. Stick like legs bent taking a seat closest to the window. One leg crossed over the other as he leaned back in an attempt to get comfortable. Buzzing in his pants pocket made him jump to attention just as he achieved comfort. Reaching in he stuck his tongue out dragging his hand from side to side feeling for his phone. His hand grasped the device. Wrenching it to the surface, his tongue receded in the gap where it poked out from. The screen lit up, displaying a new message.   
  
'Have a good flight!--Kat at 12:34 P.M.'  
  
  
  
  
"What the hell was that?!" Meryn shouted from where she sat at the kitchen table. "That was the worst cookie-cutter line I've ever said." Instantly, she regretted hitting send; but at least it was better than continuing as she had prior. Typing up a plethora of impersonal goodbyes and deleting them for the past 30 minutes. Phone in hand, she fidgeted flipping the device open and closing it repeatedly. She had made the choice to let him go. And to Meryn that meant she couldn't see him off. Why? Because she simply couldn't handle looking at him without crying or doing something drastic. If she was going to set him free, that meant breaking off ties with him. 2D was too personable to altogether stop speaking to, but from a distance, the miles would do the work for her. In no time he'd settle wherever he was going and forget all about her. She could accept that. At least that's what she told herself. Anxious, she played with her bangs twirling the longest hairs around her index finger, his flight was to leave in the next hour and at long last, this would finally be over. Chest rising and falling, she leaned onto the table. The sudden buzzing in her hand sent the phone clanking across the table and onto the floor. Cursing under her breath she stood pushing out the chair and walking around the table to retrieve it. It had fallen close to the kitchen entrance, where she'd once smashed his banjo to pieces months ago. Shakily she picked up the phone, flipping it open in one swift flick of her wrist.   
  
'I'll miss you. Take care. --2D at 12:37 P.M.'  
  
Automatically, her heart began to race, beating rapidly in her chest. He made being cold difficult. Fingers began on their own what she held back saying, typing away a new message to reply,' I love you.' Meryn's lungs felt like they imploded just seeing what she typed out, stopping her thumb from pressing send. "Aww that's so sweet," loomed in unannounced from behind croaking and grunting directly into her ear. Quickly she swiveled her head around sending a lush forest of hair slapping Murdoc in the face. Eyes wide she stumbled over her words, making zero sense,"What? Why? Uh? Hnnnn? Errrm--" Words became noises instead, her free hand shook nerves having gotten to her, the other stealthily deleted what she had typed pressing harshly onto the backspace button.  
  
Perplexed, he was unsure of whether he should break out into a hearty laugh or pity her embarrassing existence after seeing what she had written. Snorting, he chuckled folding his arms. "That made no sense Ryn. Almost as little sense as you being here right now!" Clawing the stray hairs from his face, Murdoc grabbed her shoulders,"So. What. The hell. Are you doing?" Surprise didn't begin to describe how she processed Murdoc's actions. Eyes flying from corner to corner of the room, she trembled claiming ignorance,"What do you mean?" Another surprise, he stood suddenly yanking her to her feet,"Play dumb with someone else love. You two I swear. Come on! Come along now!" Pulled around the corner and into the elevator, he shot Meryn a confident look, sharp teeth jutting out in thrills. The second it opened, he dragged her into the concrete parking garage. From behind she mustered up the question she'd been holding due to shock,"What're you doing?!" They stopped at the dune buggy with a bootleg Jeep logo. In one motion, Murdoc turned around, wordlessly flinging her into the passenger seat of the car. Legs partially in the air, she propped herself up trying to ease into the seat blowing hair from her face to see Murdoc getting in nonchalantly pushing her legs aside,"Move your legs sweetheart, I'm trying to help you out." The door slammed shut with a loud thud. Shuffling from the back seat caused the entire car to shift at the adjustment of weight. Russel shot up from laying across the seat,"What took you so long?! This was your last minute idea Muds!"   
  
"What the shit are you two doing?" Fully confused, Meryn shook her head from side to side unable to process the plan that Murdoc had apparently thought up. "Don't be stupid Ryn, that role is taken by Face-Ache," key in the ignition, he stepped on the gas. The tires screeched at the takeoff, the buggy barely making it out of the garage unscathed by the slow rising garage door. Whirling down the winding road of Kong Studios' cliffside, Murdoc sped off past the gate taking a sharp turn onto the nearest highway. One hand on the wheel, he turned to answer after long,"We gotta get to the airport! I know 2D is stupid, but I always thought you were better than that! SEE WHAT A NICE GUY I AM?!" Murdoc yelled over the roar of the engine and the blast of air rattling their eardrums. Zooming past countless cars, he cackling loudly at the sight of vibrant plum hair flapping about continuously slapping her in the face. Meryn darted forward in her seat, parting the hair taking over her face,"WHAT?!" He laughed even harder, throwing his head back thrusting the reptilian tongue out his mouth,"I KNOW ISN'T IT GREAT?! RURI PAID ME IN NUDE PICTURES SO IM GOING TO KEEP MY WORD AND MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS!" Sudden irreparable disgust struck brought her lurching towards him at his claims.   
  
"SIT BACK MERYN!" From behind, Russel pulled her backward, in fear of her being thrown out of the car like a rag doll. "WE'LL BE THERE PRETTY SOON, THINK OF WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT!" Everything was happening too fast, minutes away she had prepared nothing in advance. Anxiety set in rising to levels she didn't think possible,"I'M GONNA DIE!" Spastic howls of laughter broke out from Murdoc,"HEY HEY HEY DON'T TALK LIKE THAT! YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO DIE AFTER! ALRIGHT COMING UP ON IT NOW! YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT!"   
  
"HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT PAST WITHOUT A TICKET?!"  
  
"ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF!" A counterfeit ticket was shoved into her palm from the greasy pockets of Murdoc,"GATE NUMBER 22C!"  
  
  
Abruptly the buggy came to a screeching stop, destroying the tread on the tires and leaving skid marks along the drop off area. Cars from every direction honked in compliant. Mind racing, Meryn wasted no time with the handle of the door. Legs kicked over the side her shoes hitting the pavement at the slight drop. Making her way through airport security and sprinting through endless crowds of people. On the row labeled 'C', Meryn spotted numbers 1 through 25 down the extensive marble-lined corridor. Legs moving on their own she panted not having to run this much since high school, sliding to a stop just before number 22. The rubber of her shoes created skids adding to the design of the marble flooring once she came to a stop. Pushing hair behind her ears she caught her breath scanning the seats for his familiar form. Only one stood out; the man sitting towards the window leaned back with a magazine on his face. Swallowing the rising panic, she stalked over peering over the sleeping body to see the hue of blue she'd missed after just a few days. Steadily his chest rose and fell, a light snore coming from underneath the papers. Gently she removed the magazine, gazing upon him, 2D was cute when he slept. Mouth slightly ajar, from this angle the gold teeth towards the back glimmered in the fluorescent light above. Silently she sat down beside him, hesitantly resting her head on his shoulder. He stirred on contact; flinching his head shot down coming eye to eye with sandy textured brown irises and the pin-sized pupil in the middle. "Hey D," she looked into the darkness of space through his eyes. "Hey, Kat," a smile etched on his face, 2D watched her pupils expand and contract. "You fell asleep, and your flight's literally about to board,"sitting up straight her lashes fluttered taking in his comforting scent. A dreamy look in her eyes, she knew for sure that she had fallen for him. Heart fluttering she nudged him pointing to the boarding sign he'd neglected to pay attention to. "Good fing yew were here then innit?" Standing up, he stretched for the ceiling," Came t'see me off proper?" Slowly she stood after nodding along averted her gaze,"Guess I caught you at the last minute."   
  
"Tha's ol'right, I'm just...glad yew came. I meant what I said, gonna miss yew Kat," shifting from leg to leg he twiddled his thumbs together, lowering his head meekly. With a gulp, Meryn willed herself to move falling forward burying her face in the crook of his neck. Taken aback, 2D nearly lost his balance. Fondly he placed his chin atop her head pillowed by lush hair, pulling her closer," Yer so weird Kat." Subtly shaking began against him, followed by droplets falling onto his shirt. She took in deep breaths, letting one sniffle escape from. "Are yew crying?" He asked against her hair, inhaling the fragrant scent of cotton candy,"Don' cry, love. Don' wan' yew bein' sad ova me." Swallowing hard, Meryn placed an open palm to the middle of his chest, the other wrapped around his neck. His heartbeat quickened for a moment by her trembling touch; after a while, large hands gliding down her waist and rested on her hips,"I'll send yew cards through the post." Nodding against him, she let go taking a step back staring down at the ground not wanting to show him her face. Wiping away the tears she regained composure, slowly bringing her head back up,"I'll miss you too, D."  
  
The last person to board, 2D looked back over his shoulder. Timid, she waved gracing him with the last smile he'd see for some time. Imperfect gaps in his teeth flashed back as he walked off through the gate. Hand falling to her side, Meryn murmured the truth,"I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! My eyes hurt and I haven't moved from this spot in 5 hours! A good chunk of that hour was taken up by reading my own smut that I wrote in advance for Phase 3. Weird aren't I?


	21. Negotiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phase 3 Start!

April 29th, 2009  
  
Aimlessly, freshly manicured nails tapped away at the wooden desk laid out in front of her. A bored expression on her face, Meryn sat swaying from side to side in the swiveling desk chair. Every couple seconds, her eyes glanced over to the clock hung on the wall; watching the second hand move to the beat of the radio playing 80's pop music into the waiting room. Attention turned to the couple sitting close in the waiting area; huddled close they sat scribbling the answers to various questions on the forms given to them. The sound of light thudding against the clipboards at every other stroke they made. The young woman took notice, glancing up from the paperwork she caught eye contact with the receptionist. Meryn smiled back politely,"Let me know if I can hell you with anything!" Fidgeting the woman nodded, diving back into the loads of paperwork she had yet to complete. Sighing, Meryn looked back at the clock estimating the amount of time she had left on her work day.  _45 minutes._ Not too long to go, she flexed her arms out subtly stretching in front of her not wanting to appear completely lax at her desk.   
  
It was a slow day, not many people had shown for their appointments throughout the day. This added to the rising tension between herself and her boss; somehow, this was deemed to be Meryn's fault, as if she has control over the lives of other people. She'd gotten the job a few months after Gorillaz broke up and managed to make a half decent living doing this. She didn't absolutely hate it or absolutely love it; but it was something, that was the reason Meryn had decided to just roll with it. In the two years that passed, life was just as listless as it was before she'd arrived in Manchester back in 2005. However, she never saw any of the events that transpired coming; free room and board with a popular band instead of the prostitution route she almost took part in. Ironically falling for the lead singer of said band, and the guitarist in which she spoke the same language died far too young. Propped up on her elbow, she rested her head staring out the window in thoughts of the good times she had with them all.   
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Snapped to attention, Meryn lifted her head from where it lay,"Y-Yes? Have you finished?" Shy, the slender woman nodded handing the combined paperwork of herself and her significant other. As politely as she could, Meryn smiled taking them from her,"Thank you. You can have a seat, I'll hand this to the doctor and you'll be seen in about 2 minutes." The awkwardness of this girl reminded herself of how inept she used to be. Now 23, she had become more accustomed to uncomfortable situations. Quietly, the mousy young woman retreated back to her boyfriend holding onto his arm. Inwardly, she hoped this woman would grow to overcome the nervousness. Quickly scanning the documents for errors, Meryn stood up stepping back into the heels tucked away under the desk rising 3 inches to the height of 6ft. Smoothing the pencil skirt and pulling at the elastic she attempted to make it appear longer wanting to be spared another lecture from her boss. The skirt stopped just above the knee, an inch higher than that and she was doomed to be screamed at for the simple rising of a skirt. Papers in hand, she walked off down the hall; past her coworkers ignoring the snickers that came from the break room ending in the office of her demanding boss. Completely focused on the computer screen in front of her, she failed to notice Meryn walking in. "Excuse me--," she started, interrupted by the quick turn around in the office chair and snarling in annoyance. "Don't sneak up on me like that again," the busty large woman warned. A quick flick of her eyes and she fixed them on the pencil skirt Meryn wore. Closing her eyes, she sighed, waiting for the complaints to come. "Miss Jakes, I keep telling you not to wear things like this and you continuously ignore me," head shaking in disappointment, the little bun on the seasoned doctor bounced from side to side. Cutting in, Meryn attempted to explain,"The dress code is to wear office apparel. In the employee handbook, it says knee length skirts are acceptable." A degrading look was shot back as if her statement was false,"It isn't at your knees." "I'm taller than most girls, some things fit me differently-" Interrupted again, her boss waved her hand shooing away the excuse,"That isn't all, your blouse is ill-fitting, too tight around your chest and sloppy at your waist." Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself pushing away the complaints,"I can't help that ma'am, blouses fit a certain way. My chest is...larger than most so it's going to be tight in a blouse. This shirt is my size, but around my chest, it fits like this--"   
  
"No, I think you just like the attention, I'm busty myself Miss Jakes, and I don't have that problem." The condescending eyes of her boss rolled at such a suggestion.   
  
_That's because you're overweight and wear triple sizes. Your back boobs match the front so you get to look like a well-dressed potato. Bitch._  
  
So badly Meryn wanted to say that. Blurt it out loud enough for everyone within a reasonable distance would hear. Instead, she held it in putting on a crooked smile,"I'll try and find something else to wear then." Robotic in her movements, she jutted her arms out extending the paperwork needed for the final appointment of the day,"These are the next clients' documents." Another eye roll, and the shaking of her head, she snatched them out of Meryn's hands,"You can go home for the day. I'll close up here tonight. Make sure you come in tomorrow with appropriate office attire. I don't want to keep telling you this." Through tight lips, she flashed the best smile she could manage under the circumstance. Turning on her heel, she started out the door. "Oh and send in the patients will you?" The older woman asked looking through the pages. Hips swayed from side to side at the quickened aggressive pace the sound of her heels stomping back into the waiting room, at the corner, she fixed her face and posture,"Thank you for waiting! The doctor will see you now, please go on and have a seat." One hand extended towards the door, she politely smiled as the young couple walked past. The moment the door closed behind them, the fuming resumed. Scooping up her purse and apartment keys, she walked out the door. Carefully closing the door behind her, she made sure it wouldn't make too much noise at her exit. The very second she was free to react as she normally would, Meryn stomped off at a quickened pace for her apartment a couple blocks away. Living in the inner city of Essex, there was no need for a car but being forced to wear heels to work every day to appease her petty boss' dress code she wished she had purchased one when she had the chance.  
  
The thoughts of before overlapped this most recent disagreement with her boss. Gradually; the pace slowed. trudging along walking past others on their way home. A low mumble of city life bouncing from brick to brick of the nearby town-homes and businesses. Looking up to the sky, the sun was beginning to set. Heavy shades of orange and pink glowing around the descending sun. Fist clenched, she recalled the setting sun at the El Manana shoot. Not wanting to revisit that day, she walked quicker flicking her eyes around in order to distract herself from the pain that would follow. Arriving at her apartment in less time than usual, Meryn hopped up the steps coming to a stop in front of the door. After a moment of fiddling with the key, she promptly unlocked the door swinging it wide open. The heels were kicked off her feet the second she walked in. Taking her normal height back with great relief, stepped backwards closing the door with her back wordlessly flipping the lock in her index finger. "Ughhhhhhhhhhhh," a long drawn out groan boomed through the apartment from Meryn's mouth. The groan lasted for one long breath on exhale, sharply breathing to refill her lungs. Drone and exhausted, she rubbed her eyes, not thinking about the makeup on her face. Black eyeliner smudged on her hand and across her face; a little too late she noticed rolling her eyes at the slip-up.   
  
"Long day?" Called from around the corner,"You've been standing there awhile now."  
  
In further annoyance, her head was thrown back all the muscles in her face tight and aching. Fed up, she rounded the corner,"Perceptive as usual I see." Shea looked up from the stack of papers placed in front of herself,"Your boss again?" There was no point in asking, the expression that came down from its hung back position said it all. Only replying in grunts and sighs, Meryn started off for her room. "Mmhm. I see," Shea replied understanding what each noise meant. Inside her room, she shimmied out of the skirt, unbuttoning the blouse and putting on something more comfortable. Jeans slid up her legs being pulled up at the thighs, Meryn bounced in place successfully bringing them to hug her hips. With a zip and a quick buttoning, she adjusted the hemline to where they should be on the pants legs. Hair pulled down from its ties fell past her bare shoulders and halfway down her back. Searching around for a random top, she decided on the discarded V-neck tee that she neglected to put away quickly pulling it overhead. Hands under her hair, she pulled the locks from inside her shirt fanning it out onto her back.  
  
"I'm going out for a bit," Meryn shouted peeking her head out of the door. Remembering she'd smudged her make up she leaned back eyeing her self in the mirror to assess the damage. At the quick wiping around the rims of her eyes, the black smudges disappearing onto a removal wipe. Holding her eyes open she removed each of the contacts, putting them in their solution for the day. Immediately, Meryn's vision became blurry. The year she spent at Kong, she hadn't once worn her glasses; heavily she sighed chuckling at her own irresponsibility back then. "This is the punishment," she said, now struggling to see herself in the wall mirror across the room. Shrugging she grasped the glasses set aside on her dresser, sliding them past her ears; adjusting her hair pushing stray pieces behind the temples of the shiny black rectangular glasses she neglected to wear. Blowing air out of her closed lips, she motorboated feeling placid about the remainder of the day. Nostalgia reared its head again, bringing her back to the days at Kong. Ambling along, she exited her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Shea stood across the hall of their two-bedroom apartment folding her arms across her chest,"You got a letter today. It's been awhile since he's written." Meryn stopped in her tracks; first wide-eyed and bothered, then forcing herself to be indifferent, looking off past her roommate,"Oh yeah? From who?" Shea rolled her eyes, handing the letter over,"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to Marin." Meryn knew well who had written her; the same person who had been for the last 3 years on and off. 2D seemed to be traveling a lot, every other letter was sent from a different location.  
  
This time around it was actually back in the United Kingdom, and from Oxford of all places. Meryn masked herself well, appearing to be as unfazed as she could be,"Thanks, I'll read it later." Shea blew out a large gust of air; leaning against the wall she threw her head back knocking it onto the wall every couple seconds,"What are you doing?" She asked in an impatient drawl, scratching the hair at her crown. The natural copper color had begun to return among the strands of platinum blond from the previous life she lead. "You act like he isn't dating around," dropping the act, Meryn scrunched up her face,"He flat out said so in the earlier letters." Nodding, Shea acknowledged his dating activity,"Yeah yeah, I remember. But he keeps talking to you for a reason, I'm sure of that." Easily, she answered,"Because we're friends of course." Pocketing the envelope in her purse, Meryn leisurely walked by,"Anyway, how's the new boyfriend?" The perfect distraction; Shea's nagging receded in thoughts of her own love life. Old feelings were truly just that now. Old. The two of them being roommates was entirely platonic. Ironic, compared to how things once were. Once Gorillaz had broken up, Shea had gotten in contact with her. It was perfect timing; especially since Meryn thought Shea had said her final goodbyes upon visiting her in Brighton. At the time, the single phone call she received was a bit concerning. She had fallen to her absolute lowest point; the night Meryn spent in the Brighton hospital was one she'd always remember. Bloodied and left for dead; some nearby patrons finishing up their shift at a local restaurant found Shea inside the dumpster. With no one else to turn to, Meryn had been called as an emergency contact. And a good thing she did. No matter how disturbing a sight Shea was covered in the semen of several men, stinking drunk, and so high she couldn't comprehend where she was or who Meryn was; it was still  _her_.   
  
  
When she finally came back to her senses, Shea just held herself and cried. Refusing any comfort, physical or emotional from Meryn. It seemed it all finally caught up with her. The memory was hard to stomach, remembering the words uttered in disgust with herself. "I wish mom had just killed me when she first caught me with dad, but she couldn't even give me that. I would have been happy to die then and there." The next moment, she turned to Meryn and asked her something no friend ever should. "Could you kill me?" The answer she gave solidified what their relationship was now. The answer was,"Sure. I'm tired of this Shea anyway. Let's get the old one back. Shall we?" Through swollen blackened eyes, Shea looked on confused at her words. The only killing that would be done, was to the shell of a person that was sitting in front of her. With a wide grin, Meryn made a decision,"We're going to get  _you_  back." The months that came were spent from shelter to shelter, trying to gather up enough funds to buy a roof to put over their heads. Shea spent them having withdrawals. Often times she'd cuddle up next to Meryn, for once being the one that needed to rely on someone. Shivering, cold sweats, vomiting, and tears; at least she was with someone who truly cared. The younger troubled girl she'd met so many years ago had matured into a take charge kind of woman. Even when crying at the end of a disappointing or unfruitful day; Meryn got up and tried again. Although she claimed it was only due to wanting Shea to get better, she knew of the companionship she longed for and the need to take control of her life. About a year ago, she managed to land the job she kept now. Shea completed her rehabilitation, getting an odd job of her own. The past 2 years were so different from their previous relationship.  Once they'd gotten their apartment together; the letters came flooding in. From the way her face lit up opening envelope after envelope; it was very clear to herself who her romantic feelings yearned for.  
  
_2D.  
  
  
_ It was as if the universe was trying to tell her to go for it; Shea recently was asked to move in with her boyfriend and 2D seemed to be back in the country. "Y-You changed the subject, Marin. You should respond to this one," face brightened significantly and healthier looking than before, Shea wanted to return the favor. Encourage an old friend and ex-lover to pursue true happiness as she was granted. Suddenly remembering a question she'd always had in her mind, Shea asked."And by the way, I've been meaning to ask. Who sends letters these days? Why doesn't he just call you?" Meryn froze, staring up at the ceiling for a moment; over her shoulder she shrugged dumbfounded,"I never thought about it." Turning back towards the door, she added,"He HAS been all over the place. Maybe to avoid international texts and calls?" Bopping about, Shea nodded,"Kay yeah that's a good point." Marching off towards the door, Meryn eagerly wanted to escape, she shouted,"Onnnn that note, I'm off!" Hand on the knob, it was wrenched open.   
  
"Where to?" Shea tried to ask before she disappeared out the door. Too late; door closing, Meryn's head peeked out at the last minute vaguely answering,"Places." The door shut shaking the cheap paintings put up on the walls. Eyes rolled again, inwardly cursing her for the lack of information,"Tch."  
  
The air outside had cooled down at the now setting sun, the nightlife just starting to bustle and the streets becoming bright with neon and warm welcoming lights. Down the road, a taxi approached slowly making it much easier to hail. Stepping out onto the curb, she waved her hand flagging down the driver. With the low hum of the engine, the bright yellow car pulled up beside her. Politely waving she opened the door. "Hello," she chirped sing-song, taking a seat close to the window. "Evening, where to?" Turning back he stretched his arm along the back of the seat awaiting an answer.   
  
"To Kong Studios," she had prepared for the look of confusion that came along with that name. As she thought, the man was puzzled; but for reasons unknown to her. "I know its not been maintained or lived for years, but if you could get me as close as possible I'd appreciate it." Old graying eyes looked from side to side, returning back to Meryn in concern,"That area's been off-limits to the public since the fire that burned down that old factory." She frowned,"Fire?"   
  
"Is there anywhere else I can take you?" The man changed the subject, moving along to trying to complete his job. Sitting there shocked, she sat back in the seat trying to process the man's claim. Stuttering through her words, she spoke quietly,"Thompson's in Braintree." Body slumping against the leather, she looked out the window as the driver started to take off. Having heard nothing of the sort, it was something she wanted to see to believe. But for now, she would settle on simply getting a drink at a pub she'd been meaning to check out. If what the man said was true, what would that mean for Gorillaz in the future? Sinking lower, she groaned.  _If they HAVE a future._

 

Although the ride wasn't long, Meryn somehow dozed off anyway. Waking up in Braintree, the area was more rustic than people had described to her. It was a rather quiet area, almost eerily so. Coming to a stop, the taxi pulled over on the side of the road just outside the pub. Blinking fully awake, she sat up fishing around for her wallet. Through the numerous receipts, feminine products, unorganized makeup, and random pieces of candy of the collective year; she eventually located it, pulling out two crisp bills for the fare. "Thank you, have a good night," handing them over she opened the door scooting herself out of the car. Sitting had, of course, made the jeans fall at her hips a tad, inelegantly pulling the loops, Meryn sauntered off for the door.

The atmosphere was like the rest of town; rustic but quaint. However, a plethora of people crowded the bar. "So this is where all the people are," she laughed to herself shrugging off the stares of people nearest to the door. After a brief stint of time, she and a couple of others managed to find seats somewhat close to the bartenders. A laminated menu of the bar in hand, she made herself comfortable propping her arm up by her elbow and resting her head in the palm of her free hand. Adjusting the glasses every so often she scanned the list of beverages drowning out the chatter of drunken patrons around. A shot glass placed in front of her took her attention. The menu fell onto the table next to whatever had been placed before her. Not needing to glance, she knew well who was standing before her; still, raising her head she came to acknowledge him at the very least. The same as always, Murdoc was as snide as ever. "Been a long time Ryn," inviting himself to have a seat he pulled up a chair sitting backwards in a squat. Arms rested on the back of the chair he leaned forward scooting closer to the table. "It has been...," weirdly, she was happy to see him. Even if it was one of her least favorite people, Murdoc brought with him memories of the past.  
  
A small meek smile started pulling at her mouth,"How've you been?" Puzzled, he leaned back in the chair,"That's not what I expected. What's this about huh? No lip?" Shoulders rose and fell causing some of the hair behind her to fall forward onto the table,"You say that as if I hate you." Snorting and chuckling he tapped his fingers onto the wooden table, eventually pushing the shot glass closer to her with a single finger,"Here." A bit suspicious, Meryn couldn't help but wonder why he was adamant about her drinking whatever he'd bought. "That's not creepy at all Murdoc," sarcasm oozed from her mouth in a dismissive drawl. "Oh come on Ryn; I'm a lot of things but I'm not THAT guy," he seemed almost deeply offended by her suspicions. "I know. I'm only kidding," between fingers she tossed back the concoction wincing as it burned the back of her throat. Tongue escaping her lips she grimaced shuddering at the end of the swallow,"Vodka?" Through squinting eyes, she could see him vibrating in his seat rocking back and forth. With a heavy sigh, he brought himself back to all seriousness,"Saw you walk in and had to come see for myself how grown you've gotten." His eyes dipped suggestively, coming back up to witness the expression change on her features. Meryn rolled her eyes sitting back in the chair,"Uh huh." Peering back she sat up straight,"Anyway, I heard that Kong burned down. That true?"

"Yeah, I collected money from the insurance company big time."

"Oh, so YOU did it. That makes sense." Laughing she waved down a nearby waitress doing her rounds,"Excuse me can I have a martini?" Murdoc interrupted,"Put it on me, would you? Murdoc Niccals?" Nodding, the young woman hurried over towards the bar nervously putting together the order among the several others that needed her attention. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that." Although he was just as sketchy as the day she first met him, Meryn was grateful nonetheless. It didn't take long before her drink had arrived, being put above that of the other patrons for having a celebrity sit next to her. Thanking the woman she took a sip, placing the glass on the table,"Any other reason why you decided to sit here with me?" The olive-skinned man scoffed stuttering on his words,"I can't--I mean--Why are you so suspicious of me Ryn?? I've been a nice guy, bought you a couple drinks and this is what I get in return?" Unfazed, Meryn didn't break the piercing stare she had on him. She didn't have to say anything, the flat look in her eyes said it all.   
After a moment, he broke the facade jutting forward onto the table,"Fine then Ryn. I've been thinking about getting Gorillaz back together..."

A long pause filled the space between them. Blinking impatient she waved her hand urging him to continue,"Uh huh?" She continued to press him with just a stare. After some time it got to him, standing up, Murdoc turned the chair around to its proper position and had a seat. He pulled the ashtray at the end of the table in front of him, firing up a cigarette that was pulled from his back pocket. On inhale, he looked at her in a daze. Breathing out a large puff of smoke filled the air,"Do you still talk to 2D?"

Hands falling flat on the table she chirped in astonishment,"Yep that's what I figured this is about!" Smug expression patronizing him from where she sat, Meryn shook her head,"I haven't talked to him in awhile." With grace she averting her gaze, taking another sip with as posh a demeanor as she could fake. "He's a necessity to the Gorillaz success, you know that," Murdoc praddled on leaning back on the chair legs arms folded on his chest. "Yep. Yep. He IS talented," simply agreeing with the statement she continued to draw out the request of a favor. For just a brief moment, he appeared irritated, but in the next, the expression was replaced at the roll his eyes peering over at her once again,"So how's life these days? Better than what you had going for you when you were bumming of us all at Kong?" It was a clear attempt of getting under her skin. Already apathetic she could easily admit to this,"Nope. It's whatever honestly, working and paying rent is the highlight of my life at the moment." 

"So, why not go back to those days?" Murdoc nudged, awaiting a response. "You just want me to find 2D because you can't. Say what you're really thinking," so easily Meryn brought his intentions to light. Remote, she tapped the pads of her fingertips against the table creating a random beat. He fell silent, gradually beginning to nod,"You're absolutely right." Abruptly, he slapped his palm onto the table, shaking the glass set beside her,"Look. Gorillaz isn't meant to be broken up forever. Those two needed a break or whatever, but it's time to get the ball rolling again." Inhaling again, he closed his eyes letting the smoke chimney out of his nostrils on the exhale,"I've got big plans for my band, and I'm giving you a handout. Think about it; you never finished the year you had with us, there's tons of unfinished business we've got to attend to." Annoyance set in, registered clear on her face due to the sheer bossiness in his tone, and the fact that to some degree his offer was interesting her. "I'm not obligated to do anything for you Murdoc," eyes narrowing, Meryn wrapped her fingers around the stem of the glass taking back the final sip. Adamant he continued on. At the flick of his wrist in the air, calling yet another waitress to his side tending to his every need,"Would you get another martini for the lady? Make it two actually, I'm feeling a little parched myself. Awahahmhm~," he grunted cackling confident he could convince her.

Smirking, Meryn couldn't help but chuckle at the sad little attempts of manipulating her into doing what he wanted,"Trying to drink me into a deal?" Murdoc eyed Meryn provocatively, his eyes stuck on the slight cleavage peeking out from the cut of her shirt. "Despite what you keep implying Ryn, I consider us to be friends. It figures someone like you who doesn't have many wouldn't know a friendly request if it slapped you square in the face,"cheeky in response, Murdoc finished the cigarette flicking into the ashtray. Entertained she burst into a hearty laugh, howling at the audaciousness of his retort,"Shut up Murdoc. You would know more about having no friends than I would; I read the book you published, by the way, Rise of the Ogre was an engaging read." Snickering she leaned forward placing her elbows back on the table,"I almost felt sorry for you, you know? I see where you got 'face-ache' from." 

"Shut your face."

"You're really good at convincing me to do what you want," Meryn shrugged, swaying from side to side beginning to feel a buzz, only stopping when another glass was placed in front of her. A quick sip and she decided to try and reason with him,"Alright, Murdoc. You tell me, why should I go along with this?" Even then, she felt as if she should give him better than that. She tried again, moving her hands in a rotating motion as if to rewind the last thing she said,"Murdoc, you understand that you aren't the most trustworthy person right? Why should I feel motivated to do anything you're asking of me? Especially, when you're asking a lot." The other glass was placed alongside him, in one swipe the entire glass was downed; grunting he placed it back on the table,"Well, love, you're right on the money as usual. But my reasons aren't that hard to understand. All I'm asking of you is to find my lost dolt of a lamb, in return I'll welcome you aboard for the new direction I'm going with my band. What's holding you back eh? You've up and left everything behind before."  
  
Shrinking, she rested her head on the table. He was right, but things were different now. Right? "Besides Ryn, the last time I saw the little moron, he wouldn't stop running off at the mouth about you. Something about you not responding to the mushy letters he sent,"Murdoc nonchalantly snatched her glass, drinking the remainder of her drink. If it were possible to fall inward even further, Meryn would have imploded in guilt. Despondent, her eyes flickered to her purse set in her lap, suddenly remembering the unopened letter he'd sent that sat inside. Biting her lip she gripped the bag, placing it in between her legs worried that her expression might give away the fact that she held the information he was in search of. A dismal air about her engulfed the area, sitting in silence for awhile she slowly nodded after some time,"I'll think about it." Satisfied, Murdoc flashed a smile,"Much appreciated Ryn. Don't think too long though, I'll be going back to the new Gorillaz HQ soon."

The night drew on longer than she'd planned; after another round of drinks Meryn excused herself,"I'll call you later with what I decide." With a single nod, he held her to it watching her leave in deep thought. Outside the pub again, she noticed the wet sidewalk and the took in the fresh smell of rain. Little droplets fell in random spots, sprinkling down from the heavens above. Not caring if her hair became wet, she started off down the road in search of a taxi; she was brooding but not in the mood for walking a couple hours in the rain back to Chelmsford. Seconds later a car she didn't recognize pulled up beside her the brakes screeching to a slow stop. The window rolled down revealing Murdoc who peered from the inside,"Go on, get in." He spoke in a monotone manner, scratching at the thick greasy hair atop his head,"Where to? Can't just let a young woman walk out in the middle of the night piss drunk; it would tarnish my reputation of being a gentleman ahmhm." Head tilted she started to protest, only to be shot a look that insisted. She'd never received concern from Murdoc before, caught off guard by his random act of kindness there was no witty comeback or response that could be thought of. Lowering her head, she nodded walking around to the passenger seat of the car. Once inside, she quickly fastened herself in. Inhaling the smell of cigarettes and sweat, her face scrunching in disgust of the humidity in the air that added to the stench. Fixing her face, Meryn would sit through it politely still a bit thrown by his considerate behavior,"Thank you." Blinking she leaned onto the window,"I live in Chelmsford." At the nod of his acknowledgment, the car took off making a sharp turn at the corner and straight shooting for home.  
  
The ride was quiet; rather peaceful even, while she didn't want to admit it, Meryn had missed this man. She had missed so much about the days she spent with them all. Thoughts of Murdoc, Russel, 2D, and Noodle flooded her mind; drowning her in a bliss that was unattainable to the average person. The sound of rain pitter-pattered against the windshield being thrown off by the wipers beating from side to side. The sounds rhythmically played out echoing about in her nostalgia filled dreaming. In front of the apartment, Murdoc put the car in park leaning his arm across her headrest,"Well fuck off then." A smirk tugged her lips,"Douche." The rain had nearly stopped, becoming a light drizzle in the time it took to get back; opening the door, rainwater from the top of the car fell onto her extended arm dripping into the purse she'd left ajar. Noticing she quickly stood, closing the door behind her beginning to walk off for the front door. "Hey!," Murdoc called from the car,"I'll be waiting for that response!" Over her shoulder, she offered a meek little smile watching the car as it took off making an illegal U-turn in the middle of the empty street.  
  
Nervous, she stood in front of the door, hand on the wet envelope; at the turning of the key Meryn entered shutting the door with her backing against it. She walked into the darkness, not an inkling of life anywhere in the apartment. "Shea?" She called out, waiting for a response. But nothing came. Flickering on the hall light, Meryn dragged her feet to her room slamming the door shut behind her subconsciously turning the lock on her knob. The overhead light flicked on, the bright light causing her to squint for a moment. She didn't bother to get undressed and prepare for the next day, instead taking interest in the envelope she put off opening. Hands moist from the rain pried the glue binds open fishing out the piece of paper inside. Unfolded; the sloppy handwriting jumped out at her, a burst of tobacco held within the envelope wafted out into her nostrils. Cheeks puffy, Meryn couldn't help but grin at the familiar scent of cancerous smoke and the faintest bit of cologne. 

 

'Been wondering Kat...Have you been getting any of these cause, at first you were responding right, but I'm starting to think you died off and it's just a bit worrying if I'm being honest. For a while, I couldn't send anything cause when I looked you up in the directory I couldn't find an address to send things to ya. But when I saw you had one, I just went on and sent all the stuff I wrote before at the same time. Thought you could bind it and have like a little book of my travels. I don't know...something like that.'

That explained the pile of mail she had just days after moving into the apartment. The memory was fresh, bringing a smile to her guilty expression. Reading on, Meryn broke into several bouts of laughter. He certainly was the 2D she remembered. Without warning, her heart began to flit and flutter as it used to when she spent time with him. In the three years that had passed, he was still his sweet self.

'Been working on a law degree at Oxford for some months now--'

_Wait, what???_  
  
She had to stop and reread the beginning of his sentence.

'Been working on a law degree at Oxford for some months now. Gonna be going elsewhere real soon though, I'm thinking Arabia. Dunno yet. Gonna keep it a surprise for myself and not tell myself where I'm goin' until I'm at the ticket counter! It's a wicked idea I came up with, I'll let you know where I end up when I tell myself! So stay tuned! Bye!'

'Best Regards,  
                        2-D'

 

Snorting she guffawed imagining 2D attending a prestigious college. Her hand clasped over her mouth as to not wake the neighbors through the thin walls. At the very bottom, he added something in small print. 

'If you send something back before I do, I'll have it forwarded to my new flat! I'm not bein' annoying, am I? Oh well, more later Kat!'

Hands fell to her side, grasping the letter returning to the deep thoughts that would no doubt keep her up tonight. Shrugging out of her clothes and into a random over-sized T-shirt, Meryn urgently took a seat on her bed grabbing the notebook placed at the bedside table and an envelope from the stationary received from her grandparents over the holidays. Spontaneity had her tearing page after page out of their binds. Each of them folded neatly, Meryn recalled the several instances in which she began to write to 2D over years that had passed; every time she received a letter she read them holding in the desperate need to be near him again. A letter would be started each time but never finished. Two years ago she decided to let him go, yet still, she wanted so badly to just see him once more. Time spent with him was like a dream, it was too fanciful to be reality; at least that's what she continued to tell herself. Unsure of whether the buzz had given her the courage to do so, or just the overwhelming desire to be close to someone as beautiful and imperfect as he was. It didn't matter. The pages found their way into the large envelope, each of them dated throughout the years. The last one torn and folded; she decided to tie it all together with a final page. Hastily she began to write out what needed to be said a long time ago.

'I've been meaning to tell you this but been too afraid to do it. I've had a crush on you for a long time. I miss how things were back when you were all Gorillaz. But most of all, I miss you. I might be moving soon too, so don't worry about sending anything back for now. I'll find you.'

Torn out and folded, the confession was gently placed inside; sealing her fate with the swish of her tongue against the dried glue, Meryn turned it over placing a stamp and filling in the addresses and bits of information. Bursting from her room, and out of the apartment, she sprinted barefoot to the postbox dropping it in with no regrets. It was time. Out of her shorts pocket, she retrieved her cell phone quickly dialing the one who would put all of this into motion. The phone clicked and she stated a simple answer,"Yes."

 


	22. Plastic Beach

Eyes wide, 2D blinked himself completely awake at the sight of an envelope with Meryn's name written at the top. She hadn't responded in so long he stopped expecting a reply months ago. Curious, he tore open the thick envelope his eyes widening even further at the stack of papers somehow fit inside. Chortling he grinned scanning over the pages unsure of where to start. "Dear Lord...," he muttered sifting through them bug-eyed, wondering what could possibly take up 22 pages. After a moment he noticed each of them had a date from some time ago, one thickened brow rose realizing she had been writing him the entire time but never sent any of them.  
  
Thinking back, he recalled when he began to look at her differently. The background check hadn't really bothered him all too much, more than anything he felt bad for her. Not in a pitying manner, but out of concern and disgust that someone could commit such crimes on a young girl. So many people had failed her, the moment he knew the history she bore with her, he felt compelled to try and look out for her as much as possible. Cringing, 2D was remembered how that went south from time to time, the troubles with Amelia certainly put a wedge in between their budding friendship. That aside; he had always been rather fond of her on a platonic level. 2D was used to being tuned out by any and everyone around him, but to his surprise, Meryn paid attention no matter how pointless his rambling was. Even more rare, she joined in on the nonsense; laughing along or nodding intently at his words. Entranced by the fond memories, he began to feel the similar level of anxiety that came with a performance. But unlike a show; nerves couldn't be soothed by strumming along on one of the many instruments he played, at least in regards to Meryn. He'd performed in front of countless people but somehow being under her stare, in particular, made him stutter more than usual.  
  
The last time he'd seen her, the little moment they had was something he took with him. He distinctly remembered the way she felt in his arms and how she cried on his departure. She was soft, but stiff and immobile standing there with him. Not knowing for sure why she was crying, he pondered why that might've been settled on his flight. It wasn't until the flight took off that he came to a conclusion. Perhaps she was hoping he would stay; maybe if he had known that he would've considered. Head shaking from side to side, blue spikes flapped about; he knew well that he wanted to get away. 2D took off on his own from time to time, to him this was much needed time alone. Still, whenever he went somewhere new, he would end up thinking of Meryn. Even when some random girl was riding him. New sights and broadening his horizons were fun and priceless, but maybe it would've been better if he could experience it all with someone. The least he could do was write as he promised he would. However, she rarely wrote back. It bothered him that she'd simply ignore him, but he tried not to take it to heart. As always, he got over it. Moving on was never difficult for him, always able to adapt to a new environment. Where he was now; 2D peered out the window watching people go about their lives on the sandy colored streets below. So far Beirut proved to be an interesting place. A huge grin etched on his face, 2D was glad he surprised himself. Patting himself on the back, he rose the letter into view letting the daylight illuminate the neatly written words.  
  
The beginning of the full-length novel was mostly her making awkward conversation, talking in circles the entire 1st page until she finally got to the point. Apology after apology; 2D got a clearer picture of what she must've looked like trying to put this all together. Consumed by the whimsical flow he laughed every couple lines reminiscing about specific quirks she had. Over and over again she made jokes at her own expense, even pointing out her cowardice numerous times and inconsistency of replies. Among the pages, certain lines stuck out more than others.  
  
'I was sad to see you go.'  
  
'I just turned 23.'  
  
"Hm," he mumbled to himself, almost forgetting about the age difference.  
  
'I found your shirt, the yellow one with the cross. Hope you haven't been looking for it lol. I'll send it to you in a separate package.'    
  
Snickering escaped through his teeth, a whistling sound lined every convulsion. He HAD been looking for it.  
  
Things went on like this for the remainder of pages, every single one bringing back pleasant times and feelings. 2D had missed her wit and thoughtful nature. On the last page, there were barely any words, but the words that jutted out from the page was the most memorable.  
  
'I've had a crush on you for a long time.'  
  
Warmth built up inside, almost emitting from his frozen form. His soul was leaving his body, transcending to higher places; so stunned he was forgetting to breathe. Like a dying man he suddenly gasped out for air, a wrenching pain in his chest tore away at his lungs the more he thought about what she'd said. Rereading the same sentence several times, he truly felt stupid. Swallowing the lump growing in his throat and hands shaking, he continued to read, noting that she was apparently moving somewhere else soon. At the very bottom the page she signed her name, adding a little note underneath in tiny print.  
  
'The way I get over people is by avoiding them. I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that. I'm an asshole.'  
  
Snorting loudly, he beamed from ear to ear," She's an idiot." Brightly he smiled exposing a wide-mouthed grin to the people of Beirut. The warm relentless feeling in 2D's chest wasn't going away anytime soon. Hoping to move on from Gorillaz, he had no desire to tread that path again, but it wouldn't be all that bad if Meryn was around.

* * *

   
  
Gently being rocked into tranquility by the smooth waves of the South Pacific Ocean, Meryn was in and out of sleep. The only thing waking her was her head knocking against the glass of the little vessel Murdoc had rented out from some gentleman back in Santiago. A couple days ago, everything was set; things were much more simple than she expected them to be. Quitting a decent job and moving to a completely foreign place that less than 5 humans had trekked. According to Murdoc, it was the discovery of a lifetime; something that she would have to see to believe. Consciousness drifting back, Meryn sat up her head reeling a bit from the nonstop movement of the ocean that had been going on for almost 2 days now. Nothing but blue as far as the eye could see, she was reminded of who else but the blue boy himself, 2D. Chuckling, the croaking in her throat threw her off having not spoken in some time. Glancing behind from where she sat, Murdoc stood idly staring off at some distant figure. Curiosity brought her to her feet with a long drawn out stretch. Adjusting the joints that hadn't been sufficiently used in hours, she pivoted from side to side sighing in relief. Once loosened up, Meryn yawned tripping over the bags placed near where she situated herself upon boarding. The presence looming from behind snapped Murdoc to attention,"Oh Ryn! Look at it in all its glory!" He pointed straight forward at the figure they were nearing. Stumped, and unable to recognize the coral pink mass as anything special she squinted trying to fathom what it was he was so confident about. Fleeting moments passed, and still, she had no idea. Confused she gave up, turning back to the man who hadn't lost any enthusiasm,"What am I looking at?"  
  
"That," he started proudly holding his hand to his chest,"Would be Plastic Beach." It took a moment for a legitimate response to be uttered; not fully processing what he'd said, Meryn questioned him once more,"Plastic-what-now?" He couldn't be serious.  _Right?_    
  
Wrong. The structure she could barely call a land mass came into view. Depleting all practicality with its horrendously pink base, it somehow held up a modern styled bachelor pad surrounded by scattered palm trees and other tropical fauna. The closer they got to Plastic Beach, Meryn could truly appreciate the obnoxious spray paint job someone did on a wad of garbage. A lighthouse and little docking areas on the sides of the mass, smack in the middle was what looked to be a cave. Stunned into silence, a slow nod began; bobbing her head with more force gradually being added in complete disbelief of what she was expected to accept. "Alright here were are, Point Nemo. Welcome home Ryn." Murdoc was perhaps the nicest he'd ever been in the past couple days spent with him; however, she was beginning to wonder if he was all there in the head at all.   
  
"Well. What do you think eh?"   
  
".......," after a long pause and waving her hands about in a discombobulated fashion, all she could manage was to shrug; giving up on trying to fathom the place she'd be spending all her time at. "Ah speechless I see," angling the boat along the wooden deck, Murdoc tied rope around one of the many beams jutting out from the planks. Quieted, Meryn occupied herself lifting everything she could carry under her arms and grasping the handles of the bags as best she could. A kind green hand came to her aid pulling her forward onto the dock across the small gap that lead to the blue waters below,"Watch your step now, wouldn't want you drowning in the middle of the ocean, love." The hand that helped her pointed to the darkened hole in the middle of the island,"Go on and head over there, I'll pick up the rest of your shit--As a thank you of sorts for cooperating." Hair blew forward at the gust of oceanic breeze being swept up along the water as she waddled over obediently towards the center of the 'island'. She couldn't tell what, but there was something off about this. Something that didn't make sense. Hustling to a stop, Meryn dropped everything beginning to break a sweat from the sun beating down relentlessly onto her skin. Glancing over her shoulder, Murdoc was making his way across the 'island', despite what he said, of course, he made no actual attempt to carrying anything. Nearing wit's end, she found her voice,"If you didn't intend to help, you shouldn't have implied that you would." Annoyed she pushed aside the bangs that were now sticking to her forehead, starting off in a heavy trudge back to the boat. "Calm down Ryn, don't get your panties in a twist," grasping her wrist he wrenched her back to his side. In a split second, he saw his death playing out having made such a bold move; the impatient bug-eyed stare from Meryn reflected his arm being pulled out of its socket if he held on any longer. Swiftly he dropped her arm, pointing above. Two abnormally large seagulls overhead landed in front of them both, with bags in the beaks like something straight out of the Flintstones. To his delight, the absurdity of what just happened successfully distracted her. Flabbergasted she flung her head backwards squeezing her eyes shut. Cheeks filled with air released the built-up distress in the form of uncontrollable laughter,"tHE fUCK iS ThiS?!"  
  
Gung-ho, Murdoc linked arms with her shouting directly into her ear,"WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF PLASTIC BEACH!" He began to take a step, before stopping in place,"Why don't you lead eh? Don't want you ripping my arm clean off--Besides there's a little surprise I want you to see! You'll be the first normie to get a sneak peak of the Gorillaz comeback!" Into the darkness, Meryn drew forward with Murdoc trailing a few steps behind. Immediately slamming into a large metal door, a metallic thud sounded at the impact of her face. Snickering came from behind; hissing and grunts echoed around in the small cave-like structure,"Why're you being so paranoid? It's a bloody lift--" "As much as I'd love to admire the elevator that I'm sure has a perfect indent of my face, I, unfortunately, CAN'T SEE SHIT!," voice thundering off the artificial cave, Meryn fumed. "Alright alright calm down, I'll do it," feeling around in the darkness, Murdoc eventually grazed over the button on the side of the wall. Doors opened brightening the immediate area around them both; brushing past her still chuckling he jerked his head waiting for her to enter. In a matter of seconds, the doors reopened revealing the classy interior; vibrant colors from the lush greenery outside was seen through crystal clear windows allowing for the breathtaking view of the ocean to take hold. Taken back, irritation melted away being replaced with wonder and surprise. "Ah!," pointing to the change in expression, Murdoc teased,"See?!" "It's...surprisingly nice inside," she meant what she said, warming up to the new surroundings,"Oh! Forgot my stuff down by the entrance of the elevator."   
  
"No worries, I'm telling you to let Murdy take care of it," open palm extended towards the door to the greenery outside, the two birds landed inelegantly. Placing the last of her belongings at the door they hobbled off in exhaustion. "Murdoc," holding her head, Meryn could take the lack of sense no longer,"Are you going to make me ask the obvious?" Hunched forward, she hung her arms stifling in pure astonishment,"Are we on a mass of garbage in the middle the ocean on which intelligent Flintstone birds take care of everyday tasks?" Hands in his pockets, Murdoc rolled his eyes. "Well of course we are!" He sounded almost offended that she would ask,"All except one thing. It's less of a mass and more of a floating piece of garbage yeah?" Rapid nodding ensued, flinging her hair about,"So what you're saying is...this thing could possibly sink and leave us doomed to drown in the middle of the South Pacific?"  
  
"More or less. Shit, I don't know," indifferent he shrugged sauntering off around the corner,"Anyway, follow." There was no more point in trying to be rational; the trip over and the possibility of dying hanging over her head had made Meryn lethargic. The birds? Just a hilarious bonus. In a casual stride, she ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the portion that framed her face behind her ear. Corner turned, what she saw beside Murdoc gave her a violent shove into a realm of nonsensical happenings. "N-Noodle?" Stepping forward, she got a good look of a girl who was the spitting image of the deceased. Cold lifeless eyes stared back through the otherwise familiar parting of bangs. "It's as close to the real Noodle as we can get," chiming in Murdoc, balled his hand into a fist. "She's a cyborg I created out of the DNA left at the crash site from the El Manana incident," tapping knuckles against the side of her head, mechanical whirring sounded in response. The cyborg turned only its head looking unnaturally to Murdoc in question. Too drained to respond normally, Meryn lucidly brought herself to at least get an answer to the question prodding at her mind,"Can it-Can she talk?" With a groan of disappointment, Murdoc shook his head,"No, can't do any of that. Her purpose is to take Noodle's place until she gets back. She can play guitar and that's good enough for a while."   
  
"Until she get's back?" Engulfed in a rush of solicitude, Meryn pressed for an answer,"Are you saying she's...alive?" With confidence, he nodded,"I believe so yeah. I've got my guitarist for now so here's the deal; myself and Cyborg Noodle here will search for Russel. And you, love; will get me my lead singer." Surprised, her brows rose,"You don't know where Russel is either? And more importantly; what if neither of them wants to? Did you think about that?" Matter of factly he began to chuckle,"Yeah I thought about that loads. Russ might be a problem, but with Cyborg Noodle I can't be harmed." From his back pocket, he drew a remote. At the press of a button, a gun extended out from the confines of the cyborg's mouth. A tinge of fear flashed across Meryn's face remaining frozen where she stood. "Besides; with this adult body you've got now, I'm sure wrangling up that silly sod will come easy," with his jagged nail, Murdoc pressed the button again. The weaponry receding back whence it came pulled the android's mouth shut with it; instantly turning its head eyeing Meryn, Cyborg Noodle put forth it's best attempt at a smile. Sinister and unsettling it stared, refraining from breaking away no matter how much she tried to look away. "Now then, I've had your mail delivered to the island, courtesy of the 'Flinestone birds' as you so eloquently put it. Same with my film delivery service. Get's dropped right on the beach!" Enthused Murdoc failed to notice the stare off happening right in front of him,"Right then. You can take that empty room over by the deck to the outside--I've got some things to take care of so find out whatever you're wondering by yourself. Got it?" Beginning to walk away, Murdoc snapped his fingers warranting the disturbing shell of an old friend to finally tear it's icy eyes away and follow its creator without missing a beat.  
  
_Finally..._ Exhaling deeply, her shoulders fell. Way too much to process at the moment, concerns would have to be dealt with later. By the by, Meryn dragged in her things placing them in random spots around her designated room. A nice size, it was more than she'd expected Murdoc to hand out. The bright white sheets of the roomy looking bed called to her. Immediately she fell forward burying her face in the pillows. Moments later, she had fallen into a deep sleep. In dreams of the occurrences throughout the day; she tossed and turned tangling her hair at the growing unease that was building even as she slept. The feeling wouldn't go away. Extreme terror set in jerking her back to consciousness. Shrieking, Meryn sat up abruptly in a panic; her eyes fell on the silent form standing in the doorway. An unnervingly wide grin beamed over at Meryn who sat paralyzed on the edge of her bed. Without warning, the cyborg shuffled forward holding out an envelope in her palms. Eyes flitting downward, the name 2-D on the front momentarily put her in slight ease. Carefully, Meryn slid the envelope from her hands mustering up the courage to speak,"T-Thanks." No response. After a few seconds of staring at each other, the cyborg turned exiting the room slamming the door shut as she had left. Eyes stayed on the door for a moment in paranoia, still feeling as if she was being watched. Shaking slightly, her fingers tore at the glued corners dragging a nail across it opened. A single sheet of paper inside suddenly made her nervous. The last thing she had said to him was a confession, along with a stack of papers that could pass as a college essay in length. The sun had begun to go down, making the sky and the ocean itself orange in color. On her feet, she stood close to the window unfolding the sheet.  
  
  
'Two things Kat; one, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO?! And two; I kinda want to move on from Gorillaz, try my hand at other things and see how I end up. Know what I mean? But, you know I sorta had a little thing for you myself. I just think you can do better than me. I'm not much good at serious dating. Um- But don't get it confused, I still pride myself on being a nice guy. Don't want to hurt anyone. That means you too, Kat. Tell you what! Next time I'm in the UK, I'll take you around. Hows that sound? You said not to send a letter through the post to this address, but what did you expect?! I HAD to after you dropped that bomb on me! Overloaded my circuits! Surprised the daylights outta me! Had to wait for the adrenaline to fizzle out so I could write without shaking! Keep in touch darling!'  
  
Meryn wasn't sure if she should parade around the room or hide under the bed. Fetching a piece of paper and a pen she brought the tip to the page. Frozen she sat there trying to think of a way to lure him over. Worrying that Murdoc might do something terrible to him if she didn't. In silence, it ate away at her for some time. No matter how many times she tried, she couldn't bring herself to sweet talk 2D if it meant he'd be forced into doing something he didn't want any part of. Her moral code simply wouldn't allow it. Sliding the sheet underneath the pillow, she sought to avoid sending anything back for now. It would be better to think this through for his sake and her own. The feeling of being watched gradually faded away; Meryn suspected the cyborg had been standing outside somehow watching her movements through the door. It was unnerving enough that a mobile weapon had free reign to go wherever she pleased at the command of Murdoc. Try as she might to shake the bombarding thoughts of suspicion and skepticism, Meryn acknowledged that it wasn't a stretch of the imagination to believe Murdoc might play dirty to get what he wants. Yet another possibility to worry about. She'd just gotten there; swept away by optimism and the promise of seeing 2D again. Eyes drifting up to the ceiling, she just hoped things would never get that bad.

* * *

The sun rose to a new day, brightening the night sky. Fully bathed in sunlight, Plastic Beach glowed vivid warm colors contrasting with the cool tones of the water surrounding the island.  
"So, Beirut huh?" Amused, Murdoc chuckled holding a copy of the envelope and its contents,"Would have never expected that. Uh, where is that exactly?" Mute, Cyborg Noodle pointed to a country on the map displayed on the wall. "Lebanon? What the hell is he doing in these random places?" At the rolling of his eyes he sighed,"Oh, Ryn's going to make a big fuss about it since the little fool flat out said he didn't want to come back to us." Thinking for a moment he scratched his head,"Oh well. I'll just hold off on her finding out for as long as possible."Glancing over towards the corner of his quarters, Murdoc grinned rolling his tongue out between sharpened teeth,"Right then. You've got the location. Bring him here and you're one step closer to getting what you want." The dark entity in the corner faded away into dust in the blink of an eye. Smirking deviously, at the success of his continued deception, Murdoc had no intention of holding up his end of the bargain. Muttering under his breath he cursed the dark form,"The Boogieman will have to get his fix through some other sod."  
  
  
Thousands of miles away, the target stood aimlessly in front of his window staring blankly in the same spot he'd been glued to for some time now. Having one of those moments in which he would stare off for several minutes, at times for hours on end. Faintly, 2D was reminded of a time he had been doing this exact thing. The last time he'd spaced out in front of a window, it ended up with a car ramming into the storefront of the shop he worked and resulted in one of his eyes being pushed into his skull. A strange smell wafted into his nose, a warming sensation taking over all of his senses. Wavering back and forth, 2D fell forward unconscious his head breaking the glass on impact. The sounds of the city faded out into nothingness. Hours unaccounted for went by without his knowledge; in what felt like a daze, the next thing heard was the sound of the ocean.


	23. Capture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short one, but yo fuck whales.

Bit by bit, 2D regained consciousness. One after another, his senses came back to him; the sounds of waves hitting a shoreline, the smell of garbage and salt water. Terrified and confused, he tried to reach out in front of himself only to immediately hit a hard surface. Barely able to move his head back and forth, he searched for any inkling of hope. Everything was dark, only a slight glimmer of light peeked through the cracks of his confines. Folded neatly inside, his knees were stuck to his chest. With little air in the tight place, he gasped in a panic trying to get a decent breath. Fists balled and legs squirming, 2D bucked forward gradually jerking his prison open. Brows furrowed, he kicked it open with all his might; instantly blinded by the sunlight he shakily lifted his hand shading his eyes from the sudden light after what felt like an hour of darkness. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, 2D ungracefully plopped onto the artificial sand that had been sprinkled over the pink land mass. Staggering to his feet, he examined the surroundings trying to guess where he might be. Hesitant to speak, 2D murmured,"Ello?" Afraid of the unknown, he crouched defensively; flinging his head from side to side he waited paranoid of something terrible happening. When nothing came, he stood up straight. Anxiously scratching away at his scalp, he slowly began to walk towards the center of the island.  
  
Head cocked to the side, he stumbled upon a caved area; nervous, he turned around cautious. Dark intense eyes traveling along the coast of the island searched for anything suspicious that might be nearby. Nothing out of the ordinary, he turned back to explore the cave taking a couple steps inside. Something grazing against the side of his arm sent 2D flying forward slamming into a hard metal door. Dizzied he slumped to the ground holding his head rocking back and forth. Helplessly searching for whatever had touched him, 2D backed himself into a corner. At long last, his dark eyes fell on a familiar figure.  The smallish feminine form approached putting him in a state of shock. Yelping, 2D held his knees close to his chest,"Uhm! Ello?! W-Who's there?" There was no answer, only a sharp swing upside his pained head. It only hurt a little bit, seconds later his body was collapsing on its side putting him to sleep once again. Murdoc peered around the edge of the hollowed elevator shaft, not moving in until he knew for sure his lead singer was out cold, "Is he out? Don't want him making a ruckus." Cyborg Noodle answered in sparks; in her arms, she held 2D, his abnormally long legs dragging across the ground as she entered the arriving elevator. "Good," following her into the elevator, Murdoc held his head high feeling quite pleased with himself.  
  
Inside the elevator, Murdoc lifted the button pad revealing a basement option. One crusty finger pressed, lowering them all to the underwater quarters below. With a slight 'ping' the doors opened to a small space with only another door in front of them. A small LCD number pad by the side of the door, Murdoc entered in a number code peering over his shoulder to be sure that the bumbling man wouldn't stir. At least until he was secured inside. In three small beeps, the door unlocked ajar enough to push in for entry. Smug, Murdoc snapped his fingers. Switching into gear, Cyborg Noodle dragged 2D inside dropping his gangly body onto the cold floor. Against the cooled temperature, he began to come to; eyes peeking through his heavy lids, 2D spotted the feminine form he'd seen. Turning over on his back, he shuffled away as if he'd seen a ghost,"N-Noodle?" Eyes rolling, Murdoc closed the door behind him,"Long time no see old buddy." Bug-eyed and cowering on the floor, 2D looked to the two of them, switching back and forth between them swiveling his head,"W-Wha's going on?" Stunned at the sight of Noodle, he extended a hand reaching out wanting the miracle to be real,"Are yew really there?" Elongated knobby fingers tapped against rather cold skin; surprised, 2D drew backward holding his arm to his chest. "You know, Meryn thought it was her too. It's spot on right?" Leaned against the wall, Murdoc boasted about his work, taking in the look of shock on the poor man's face. Blinking, he nodded stumbling to his feet,"Wha'dja do to zombify 'er loike tha'?"  
  
"She's not a zombie you dunce; it's a goddamn cyborg," palm slapped against his forehead, Murdoc shook his head wondering why he expected 2D to be smart enough to guess correctly. "O-Well...nevah mind ol' tha'!", he shouted in embarrassment. "Tha' doesn't 'splain how I wound up here,"calming himself 2D got back to what was more important; focused he awaited a reply. "Well Face-Ache, I'm creating a brand new Gorillaz album. And lucky you gets to be a part of it!,"condescending, Murdoc spoke slowly, enunciating every vowel and syllable. An immediate frown set in on the usually blank face of the front man," Don' wanna do tha' anymore. I moved on from ol' tha'..." Sporadically, the cyborg turned away marching off to Murdoc's side staring unmercifully to 2D. The stare unnerved him; jumping in place under the careful watch of a machine. "Thing about that is, I'm not asking,"pointing to his right he snickered, shoulders bouncing. "Look. It's simple really, Gorillaz can't do without you. As much as I enjoyed not hearing you run your mouth like the spaz you are, I enjoy success much much more."  
  
Swallowing his bottom lip, 2D began to understand the situation he found himself in,"How'd yew find me anyway...?" Chuckling, Murdoc shrugged eying the distress twinkling in 2D's eyes,"The same way you catch a fish; I used bait."   
  
"Yew mean--?"  
  
"Good ol' Ryn of course! Who else would it be?"  
  
2D looked betrayed, head hanging low he wondered; could Meryn do something like that? No. It would be completely out of her character to allow something like this. Especially when she had admitted to having feelings for him. "No...yew must'f found some way t'use 'er." Unbothered by his claim, the green man picked underneath his nails,"You're right about that. But it sounds really ugly when you put it that way." Patience running thin, 2D lifted his head,"So how'd YEW put it then?"   
  
"I needed her in order to find you, and since you two have some unfinished business I figure, why not have the best of both worlds eh?" Animated, Murdoc creepily wriggled his fingers,"This way I get my lead singer back, and you have some incentive to stay. More than incentive really; honestly, I'm doing all the work for both of you." Wide-eyed, his face flushed red,"Yew say tha' loike she'll be fine wiff ol' this! L-Look, can' I jus go home? I'll still record when I can! I can make time t'be 'ere if tha's wha yew want!" To no avail, Murdoc shook his head,"No, I'd rather keep an eye on you myself." Dispirited, 2D's shoulders fell. "Don't be like that! Look, you can go home after this album is finished. But! Until then, you'll be here,"turning for the door, he motioned for Cyborg Noodle to follow. "Oh yeah!" Calling over his shoulder he advised, "Don't do anything stupid down here; the walls are soundproof so no one will hear you scream. As for Ryn; she'll find out sooner or later but for now, I'm just going to play this by ear." Grasping the handle, the door pulled open; the cyborg disappeared outside leaving Murdoc to stand triumphant in the doorway. Smirking his long tongue fell out of his mouth,"If Ryn isn't a good enough reason to cooperate I have other ways of making sure you stay put." On his exit, he pointed just past the distraught blue haired man, leaving him in silence.  
  
For a moment, he stood there frozen in the same spot; after a while, he balled his fists glancing around the bunker. A simple twin sized bed placed along the wall of the room with a porthole above looking out into the ocean depths. Past pipes jutting out for the floor he spotted a small bathroom; near the door that led to the toilet was a chute of some kind. Curious, he kneeled at the opening sticking his head inside to peer inside. Nothing but darkness.   
  
"Ello?!" He called into the abyss, listening for any response. The metal chute vibrated at his call, echoing from top to bottom. Disappointed, he groaned wincing at the usual head pains he got this time of day. Weaseling his hands into his pockets, he checked for any stray pills that he may have neglected to put away. Dreading the worst, he pat his back pockets for anything at all; nothing found he ran for the door pulling at the handle hoping it'd somehow slip up once and just open. Anxious he pulled the insides of his pockets out, sifting through lint and cigarette ashes for anything at all. It could be baby aspirin and he'd still have been glad to see it. Fiddling in place, he shook mustering up some volume in his voice,"Uhm! Murdoc?! Don't suppose yew got anyfing I can take?" He waited and waited, but never got an answer. Now frustrated, he slammed his back against the wall sinking to the floor. Fingers tapped against the floor at random in annoyance, glancing up at the sudden sound that thudded around in the chute. Clanking loudly a couple bags of chips and several of his belongings came tumbling down falling onto the floor. A bit taken back by the seriousness in all this, he realized he'd be receiving food and various other junk this way for a long time to come. For hours he sat there and did nothing, staring off in space attempting to think up a means of escape. The sound of echoing wails interrupted from every so often, but now they seemed to be louder than before. Narrowed eyes deep in thought widened to the size of saucers recognizing the sound. His attention fell on the porthole directly across the room from him to see a single huge eye was staring back. In an instant, 2D flung forward wildly howling in terror army crawling himself across the room. Flattened out, he took refuge underneath the small bed having one of the worst panic attacks of his adult life.  


* * *

  
In the few days that passed, he hadn't resurfaced; only leaving safety when his bladder couldn't hold any more of the canned drinks that Murdoc sent down the chute. Cans would roll to him on the floor, or he'd stealthily retrieve whatever he needed with a leg or an arm dragging what fell to his safe haven under the bed. Wide awake and unable to properly sleep, 2D was extremely alert. Every little sound caused him to jump and inevitably bump his head against the bed frame. Unholy pain pulsated at his skull every few minutes; by now he'd become more than frustrated, angry more so. Nothing to do; he revisited memories of better times, allowing himself to be caught up in the shameful fantasies involving Meryn among other pretty girls. Time flew whenever he did, as pleasuring one's self can be quite time-consuming. Yet still, the following days that came and went were met with more pain and fear; the nicely shaven skin was no more being cluttered with blue stubble and crumbs. He practically spent his entire day in crumbs on the floor; living like a rodent in an alleyway. So many days went by, that he had lost count and forgotten which days were which. Having not heard the horrifying groan of the whale in a long time, he inched out from under the bed rising high enough to see over the cheap mattress he was supposed to be sleeping on. On the biggest exhale of all time, he was engulfed in relief; giggling hysterically at how the whale had probably been gone for days now and he could've just come out of hiding at any time. Wiping the crumbs off his face, 2D stood. Wobbling he lost his balance a couple times, the last time he walked like a normal person was days ago. He had just become accustomed to crawling around on the floor too. If nothing else it, he figured it would make for an entertaining pastime.  
  
The stench of a grown man who hadn't bathed in 5 days rose into his nostrils. Disgusted he sighed, lifting an arm to confirm the source of the ripe odor. "Yep!" Arms held tight at his sides, 2D staggered off into the bathroom tearing off the clothes he'd worn for almost a week and immediately basking in the suds he made. A simple shower had brightened his entire mood; no matter how lukewarm the water was. Even the fact that he had been held captive paled in comparison. Stepping out, he grabbed at some of the clothes Murdoc had thrown down the chute during the week. One, in particular, stuck out. "Moi ol' shirt!" He exclaimed lifting it in his hands. The yellow one he'd been looking for that Meryn apparently had. The first smile he'd worn in a week etched on his face. Pulling the shirt over head, freshly washed blue hair stuck out as his arms found their way into the sleeves. Hastily he settled into the shirt, pulling it down and smoothing the creases over his chest.   
  
The nostalgic scent of cotton candy flooded his senses. A vast grin grew stretching across his face. He wondered what she was doing now. Murdoc had said he'd eventually tell her but honestly, 2D just wished he would get it over with. This way he wouldn't have to be stuck in here alone all the time. Taken by daydreams and hopes; he began to space out again. Subconsciously he was exhausted and well overdue for a good night's sleep. Stretching he stepped into a random pair of pants, plopping onto the bed soon after. Dozing off peacefully for a moment, he turned onto his back looking up at the oddly colored ceiling, then to the porthole with the eye of a whale staring down at him.  
  
"Ff-SHIET!"  
  
2D sat straight up kicking his legs in a spastic manner. Clawing at the sheets he made it to the end of the bed, looking back in horror. To his surprise, the whale had gone again. Confused, he sat in fetal position near the side of the porthole. Could it not see him from where he sat? Knees close to his chest, he rested his chin on top of them whimpering from sleep deprivation. Slowly, his sight darkened, narrowing until his eyes finally closed.


	24. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little short, but fucking finally! Together at last!

Staring out the window to the ocean, Meryn sat on the ledge waiting for an opening. Letter in hand, she'd reread the letter sent from 2D for the tenth time. No job, away from the annoyances that came with human contact, she should have been without complaints. But as the days went by, she found there was little to do but watch reruns of the sitcom DVDs she brought along and daydream. No internet access or phone service this far out in the middle of the ocean; she hadn't managed to find a way to entertain herself. Still neglecting to write back, she would fetch the letter and read it to herself for inspiration. Inspiration came, but still, Meryn couldn't help but think communicating with 2D might make it easy for even Murdoc to find him. If he hadn't already. Gradually her face fell into gloom at the possibility; out of the corners of her eye, she glanced to the docks below on the beach, eyeing Murdoc stepping into the boat. Through narrow eyes, she stared daggers of suspicion from the window impatiently waiting for him to leave.  
  
It had been just over a week now since she'd arrived at Plastic Beach. In the short amount of time that had passed, it became more and more prevalent that something was off. So adamant about her joining him just a week ago, Murdoc was oddly quiet on his demands. He wanted her to find 2D so badly; and yet he hadn't been bothered enough to ask of her progress or be pushy in the slightest. As much as he'd stressed the importance of finding him, Murdoc had become increasingly uninvolved, mentioning the front man with much less urgency. Most of the time, Murdoc was in the area below nearby the engine room. The door bolted off prevented her entry. Supposedly he was hard at work gathering collaborators for the Gorillaz come back; that much was believable. But still, it didn't add up the current circumstances. She noticed once or twice that although he'd taken the elevator down to the beach, he wouldn't reappear for several minutes at a time. It only took about 10 seconds for the elevator to reach the beach level. Peering out overhead on the porch of his estate, she'd almost forgotten her fear of heights when he would take so long to exit the caved elevator. What this told her, was that there was something in between of interest.  
   
"Hm...," Meryn watched as the boat slowly took off waiting until it had at least began its full speed. _This should be easy._ Cyborg Noodle had been malfunctioning lately, courtesy of Meryn's tampering with the wiring in the cyborgs' charging station. Although the floor correlating with engine room was off made unreachable, Meryn had found a way to get herself in. Floor's B1 and B2 were inaccessible, purposely done to keep her nose out of Murdoc's business no doubt. But with two coins she'd forgotten to remove from the pockets of her favorite pair of skinny jeans, she managed to remove the nuts on the panel and make one of the floors accessible. Once inside, she followed the sounds of sparks to the cyborg's whereabouts, tinkering around with the charging station. Small unnoticeable knicks and cuts at the wires and outlets had paid off in the end and had gone unnoticed by Murdoc. Eventually, he'd become so annoyed with the twitchy behavior of the cyborg he would just put her away for hours at a time. And that time, happened to be right now. Overtime she'd observed the daily routine of the robotic shell of a dear old friend; noting where she would patrol and the amount of time she'd spend in each area.  
  
At the most, Meryn would have an hour or two before the cyborg would awaken and go about her daily routine. Tucked away in a cramped storage area that was more like a broom closet than anything else, and surrounded by powerful generators along with a tangled mess of wires down below the beach, it would take at the most a couple minutes for it to release itself from the ridiculous amount of plugs and get from where it was to Meryn's room. Checking on Meryn's whereabouts seemed to be at the top of the list of chores Murdoc had given. Every day so far at exactly 12:00 noon, a single sharp knock would come at her door before barreling open to reveal the watchful short-circuiting eyes that stayed on her or at least facing her the majority of the day. What Meryn had gathered, was that Murdoc was hiding something; along with that, he couldn't be bothered to keep up with his lies by himself, so he'd stick the cyborg on her to make sure she wouldn't find out whatever he was hiding. Two things bothered her about this; what would happen if and when she did discover his secret? And what of 2D? Had Murdoc already found him? The possibility was there; Meryn unable to go another day wondering or trying to play it safe would find out today and deal with what came if and when it came down to it.  
  
Murdoc would return with a maintenance man after traveling inland back to Chile; there truly was no time like the present to carry out this plan. Folding the piece of paper into a small square, Meryn slid it into her pocket for safe keeping. Seeing the boat beginning to disappear at the horizon, she made her move. Hurriedly her legs glided across the room for the door. In a few large strides she reached out pulling the handle, the door swung open in one fluid movement. Taking a step into the foyer she glanced over to the window, the boat was no longer within sight. Serious, she frowned consciously taking steps to the elevator her head hung a bit to avoid the possibility of a surveillance system detecting any suspicious behavior. 

As well as she could, Meryn would wander around the island glancing from the corners of her eyes to areas high up or near a room of importance keeping her head straight and usually wearing her transitioning glasses to make confirming her behavior too convoluted to follow. To her knowledge, there was no such thing spotted. But with the insurance money Murdoc gathered from admittedly burning their previous home to the ground, it was a distinct possibility that he would have the funds to incorporate stealthily hidden cameras around Plastic Beach. Adjusting the bridge of her glasses with her index finger she pressed them closer to her face. Finger on the call button, the doors to the elevator immediately opened allowing her to step inside in one swift glide. The doors closed her inside seconds later; the swaying lightbulb overhead illuminated the metal walls upon closing. Sliding her hand into her left pocket, she grasped two coins in between her thumb and index finger. As close to the panel as possible to avoid being obvious in the very least, she quickly unscrewed the panel pulling the chips from the mismatched order they were in and aligning them to the circuits on the board in random order until both the last two lights lit up. B2 had finally been made available.  
  
Fitting the panel back onto the wall, Meryn shakily pressed her heart beating a mile a minute at what she might find. In just a matter of seconds, the doors opened to a small quiet darkened area with a single door just footsteps away from the elevator. Stepping out, her shoes lightly tapped against the floor. Such a small space that the few steps made sent echoes from metallic wall to metallic wall. Faint sounds of the ocean current swished from outside. Gulping her face changed into that of nervousness; drawn towards the vault-like door, she placed an ear against the cold metal entry point closing her eyes and listening for anything or anyone that might be inside. All that was heard being her own breathing and the continued oceanic sounds. Opening her eyes once more, she noticed a small dark LCD screen fixed to the side of the door. Her better judgment told her that something important was on the other side. The least she could do was try and enter having the opportunity to satisfy her curiosity. Squinting from lack of light, a number pad could be made out once her eyes had adjusted to being nearly shrouded in darkness. Pausing for a moment, Meryn thought of what the passcode might be. _What would Murdoc make as a code?_ So easily it came to her.  
  
_6...6...6_  
  
Within a moment, the door clicked becoming slightly ajar. A large smirk broke out on Meryn's face. _How predictable._ Pushing aside the rising worry that he could've left it simple to somehow catch or gain the upper hand in this game of smarts; Meryn placed her palm on the door. Slowly, she pushed inwards her head gradually peeking around the corner. The first thing she saw was a messy room, the next was someone staring back at her. Sitting straight up and eyes wide open, 2D looked to her as if he'd just seen an angel coming down to answer his prayer. On the edge of his bed in fetal position, he held himself tightly for security. Mouth ajar he mouthed her name, his voice croaking unable to speak properly after saying nothing for so long. One eye narrowed in embarrassment as she began to chuckle at the frog noise that came from his throat. The moment her eyes landed on him, Meryn stood up straight no longer making any attempt to be stealthy. Instead, her mouth curved into a frown, twitching with an overwhelming amount of emotion. Not blinking she refused to break eye contact as she slowly left the door cracked to prevent locking herself inside. Opening her mouth to speak, she shook her head becoming choked up at the mere sight of him. Raising a single thick brow, 2D loosened up leaning back onto the wall,"Hey Kat." Hearing the name that no one else but him called her filled Meryn with fond memories. Gradually, her lips curved into a meek smile,"Hey D."

* * *

  
Silence filled the space between them, Meryn remained standing across the smallish room glancing around at his confines. Staggering for a moment she cleared her throat,"H-How long have you been down here?" 2D blinked, placing his hands on his knees,"Donno, I fink a week nao. Maybe moar..." Her heart sank as her suspicions were confirmed. Murdoc had indeed used her to bring 2D here against his will. Swallowing the rising frustration and pain, she drew forward taking a much needed deep breath,"Why're you balled up like that? He hasn't hurt you has he?" Simplicity in his movement he began to shake his head,"No, nuffin' loike tha'..." Eyes traveling to the porthole beside him, Meryn rose a brow,"Are you hiding from something?" Nodding, he fidgeted in place,"Yeah, a whale." _A whale?_ Taken back, she cocked her head to the side,"Really? I mean we're in the middle of the ocean so I suppose...yeah that'd happen." Hair tossed forward over her shoulder as her head stay hung there for a couple seconds, bouncing to blanket her back upon standing up straight again,"But you make it seem like the same whale is bothering you."   
  
"Tha's coz it is!" Exasperated he shouted raising his arms into the air,"Murdoc prolly paid it to watch me. Donno how--But he DID!" A lot less casual than she remembered, he was practically oozing with irritation. Understandably so. Blinking twice, Meryn winced at hearing his voice raised in surprise,"Whoa." Quickly he realized he was yelling. Ashamed all of a sudden he waved his hands about wildly,"Not takin' a piss at yew! It's jus been...bad here." Nervous and jittery she nodded again,"I can imagine." Slumping, he hunched over feeling a bit guilty; peeking up at her he calmed himself. "How long 'ave yew been here Kat?" He asked quietly. "About as long as you have, maybe two days more than you," in the corner of her eye, Meryn noticed a large orb staring at her through the window. Brows furrowing she frowned in disbelief,"Wow. You weren't kidding." Horrified he jumped, flinching in place he buried his head in his folded arms shivering,"It's tha' whale again innit'?" Silently, Meryn began to search around the room lifting things at random not stricken in fear like 2D was. Through the cracks of his folded arms, he watched her walking the length of the room, eventually disappearing to his left out of view. Nervous he stuttered, calling for her,"K-Kat?"  
  
"Mmhm," she reappeared for a moment, grabbing a razor of his off the floor and disappearing back to his left. "What're yew doing? Yer comin' back rioght?!" 2D began to panic his eyes shifting back and forth. The sound of swiping and tearing took his attention, it sounded like she was in the bathroom. "Uhm K-Ka-Kat???" Now burying his face completely his bottom lip quivered in fright.   
  
"I'm still here."  
  
Her voice came from his immediate right, as she settled onto the bed it shifted at her weight as she disappeared beside him. The sound of dragging and flapping fabric could be heard in his right ear,"Wha's goin' on??" Gentle hands placed on his folded arms, warranting him to look her directly in the eye. On her knees in front of the porthole she offered a kind smile,"I fixed it, see?" Slowly turning his head in his arms, 2D glanced to his right. His head shot up at the solution she came up with. A portion of his shower curtain had been cut and hung over the glass. Grateful, he had no idea what to say. Legs stretched out over the edge of the bed, 2D pushed out a sigh of relief,"Fhanks love." For the first time in a long time, 2D took a good look at her. She had changed in the three years of his absence. While still a cute girl, she had graduated into a more womanly appearance. Or, he wondered, was it just a change of style? Meryn had always had a shapely form; she just rarely wore revealing things, back then at least. Now on her knees in his bed, she wore a tightly fit red tank top that clung to the dips of her waist. Covered only slightly by a mid-sleeved orange jacket that stopped just before her hips, she seemed to be less conscientious of the scars that lined her forearms. The hair that hung over the hood of her jacket was definitely longer, the locks flowing to her waistline now instead of just past her shoulders. Clearing his throat, his eyes dropped below the belt line, briefly stopping on the assets inside of the fitted jeans. Returning to Meryn's face, he watched as she adjusted the glasses that framed her face," Yew got glasses nao?"   
  
"Oh yeah," she chuckled getting off her knees, kicking her legs over the edge alongside him. "I've always had them, I've just neglected to wear them all time time." Plopped next to him, his vision focused on what was blooming from her top. Not wanting to be obvious, 2D turned away looking off in the opposite direction,"How come?" Thinking for a moment, Meryn hummed searching for the answer,"I don't really like the way I look in them." His head swiveled back surprised,"Really? Yew look kewt in 'em t'me!" Bashful, she leaned forward onto her knees, letting her hair hide the growing smile,"Thank you..." Getting back on track, Meryn hardened her expression shooting a serious look,"I'm going to get you out of here." He smiled hopefully before becoming a tad bit skeptical,"How?" Pausing on her words, she sighed,"I'm-I'm just looking for an opening. Like how I did today." In question, 2D tilted his head,"Wha'd yew mean?" Head hung she sighed and explained,"Murdoc went inland today, and his little bodyguard needs repairs. Did you see her? The fake Noodle?' 2D nodded rapidly,"Yeah I saw iht. I thought it was really 'er a' first ya know! Or a zombie!"  
  
Cackling, she shook the bed,"I thought you might!" Laughter receding she continued,"It's armed and dangerous. I found out the hours of its operation and the time set aside for charging. With the information I have, I could plan to steal the boat and we could be as good as gone. But it has to be done right..." 2D looked up at the ceiling pondering how this might go. "To be honest, it was a risk coming down here...I knew Murdoc was hiding something, but I didn't expect to find you down here locked away," biting her lip, she murmured,"If he has cameras around the island or inside, my plan is screwed. It all counts on me not being trapped. And there's a possibility my impatience might've screwed us both..." Concern heavy on his features, 2D attempted to ease her nerves,"I'm glad yew came when yew did--" Sudden pangs interrupted his sentence; clenching his eyes shut, 2D hissed holding his head at the throbbing pain. "Headaches?" She asked standing to her feet. Barely managing to nod, he croaked,"When I was gassed and brought here, ol' moi fings were left behind. I've been in hell tha' past week." Arms crossed over her chest, she sighed,"I have something in my room, it's just Tylenol though. Extra strength for my...lady troubles..." Her sight went to the chute off near his bathroom,"Maybe I can send it your way, but for now, we should play this cool and wait for the opportunity."  
  
"Roger tha'."   
  
Meryn rose from his side, beginning to back away for the door. She stopped just before the exit; watching the man in pain her legs walked back to him on their own, dropping to her knees once in front of him. 2D flinched in surprise,"Y-Yeah?" She said nothing, only darting forward leaning close to his lap into an embrace. Arms hung around his neck, Meryn's chin balanced on his shoulder. The presence of an old friend was comforting, slowly his head tilted resting his cheek against her hair, the same old familiar scent of sweets overtaking his senses. Breathing deeply he spoke into her hair,"Missed me?" Vibrations in his voice so close to her ear sent chilling sensations up her spine. An audible coo nearly escaped from her lips,"Mmhm..." The same arms that held her on his departure long ago worked their way around her form, gently holding onto the small of her back. Fingertips gripped her back, drumming after awhile against the skin uncovered at the riding up of her top. Squeezing tight once more on release, Meryn's arms dropped slowly to his sides onto the bed. Arched forward at 2D's touch, she stayed in place for a moment until he followed suit, letting her go with a sigh of relief.  
  
Her head dropped from his shoulder briefly burrowing against his chest; Meryn inhaled catching the faint smell of tobacco and generic but pleasant smelling soap. Hands pushing herself up from her current position she stood up again staring at the ground unable to look him in the eye in fear of having a panic attack and passing out on the floor. Obsidian eyes followed her as she stood; getting a good look at what the inside of her top looked like when bent over and the lean muscle tone of her torso. They landed on the hips and the slight gap between her thighs at her full stance for just a second before she was walking off again for the door. Having seen a stimulating amount of Meryn, the man inside himself shamelessly examined her retreating form noting the slight swishing of her hips and the curve of her back as she turned to wave goodbye. Gulping 2D snapped back to attention; stupefied, he waved back smiling his imperfect smile watching as his savior disappeared behind the large metal door.


	25. Fruitless Effort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More coming soon!

Pulling the door closed behind her, Meryn could feel the eyes of 2D staring at her back. Nerves off the charts, she swallowed hard, the same old fluttery feeling starting up in her chest. On her exit, the door locked automatically with an audible click. With a heavy sigh, she leaned back against the cold door calculating what she needed to do and the likelihood of a successful escape. Her hunch that something was being kept from her was correct. Now that she'd found him, she wanted nothing more than to run off into the sunset as cliche as can be. But before that, she'd have to outsmart the one who had confined 2D to an underwater prison. Swiftly she pushed herself off the door calling the elevator to the current floor. In a matter of seconds, the bronze doors opened taking her from one floor to the next. Quiet, Meryn rode back to the main level nervous that someone might be there waiting for her. At the chime indicating the lift's arrival, the doors slid open. Eyes glued to the ground, Meryn took a step out, slowly looking up to check her surroundings. Pivoting to the left, and then to the right, it seemed the coast was clear.  
  
Remaining silent, she started off for her room still letting her focus drift to the corners of her eyes in paranoia that she'd been found out. Inside her room, Meryn knelt down at one of the many bags digging through a mountain of clothes for the small bottle located at the bottom of the bag. Retrieved, she held it between two fingers standing back up in one fluid motion. Back to the task at hand, legs casually took her into the kitchen stopping right in front of the garbage chute. It was the only chute Meryn had seen living on Plastic Beach for just over a week; the nerve of Murdoc to be essentially feeding 2D garbage. A slight look of disgust flashed on her face before being replaced with a candid neutral stare. Hopeful that there wasn't some other garbage chute around without her knowledge, Meryn opened the flap, dropping the bottle inside. A hushed clank echoed through the shaft on its rapid descent. _I hope he got it._ With the simple task completed to the best of her ability, the relentless feeling that all of her actions were in vain came fully. Shrouded in an air of worry, she began to gather that all of her planning was surrounded around the suspicion of 2D being in some sort of danger. In regards to thinking long-term, she hadn't done much to protect herself should things go wrong. Head lowered, she stood still. Her body tensed at the questions left unanswered in her head.   
  
_If there are security cameras, then Murdoc had seen me rewire the elevator panel as well as screwing with the cords at the cyborg's charging station. If he saw me, then why did he let things go this far? Was he just playing along? And if being watched, would there be cameras placed at 2D's door? Or a notification for whenever the door unlocked? The password was easy to guess, everything laid out nicely to watch me make useless attempts of escape. What was the purpose of bringing me here? If all I was good for was locating 2D, then why hadn't he just done away with me the moment he got what he wanted? Was he waiting for me to make a move?_ The questions and thoughts came one after another sending Meryn into a panicked state. It all led up to a very simple question.  _Had Murdoc actually left? Or was he just providing me the opportunity to find what he was hiding? I saw him leave Plastic Beach...But if the bastard could create a fully functioning cyborg from the remains at the crash site, surely he could have a double pose as him to throw me off..._ It all came full circle; now that she had made a move and done what was expected of her, what would become of her now? "Damn it...," she murmured. Any which way she examined the situation it ended the same. From the start, Meryn had been a sitting duck. Here, in the middle of the ocean, there was nothing she could do. Nowhere to run or hide from Murdoc or the cold unfeeling mirrored image of Noodle. Even if she had taken more time to think, or simply done nothing it would make no difference. The outcome would always be the same. Here, Murdoc was God; anyone else that stepped foot on the island was instantly his avatar. The only thing she had done, was sped up her consequence.  
  
From around the corner, a small chime sounded nearly going unnoticed by Meryn. Instinctively, she remained calm feigning ignorance of another presence. The silence and steady pacing told her who it was that had arrived. And right on time too. Maintaining a front, she went about her business as normal peering into the refrigerator for a couple seconds. Closing the door, Meryn turned around jumping in shock at how close the cyborg had gotten without her noticing. The usual blank expression on Cyborg Noodle's face was just as unsettling as always. No matter how many times she'd seen the perfect replica she hadn't gotten used to its existence. Blood coursed through Meryn's veins as the face of the deceased came closer still. Backed against the counters, there was nowhere to go; stopping inches apart Cyborg Noodle grinned menacingly up at the woman practically atop the counter. Sick of not knowing, she became numb. Straight-faced and drone, she spoke bold leaning into the ear of the robot,"Is this the part where you get rid of me? In her ear, there's a mic or something isn't there? You're listening, aren't you Murdoc?" To Meryn's astonishment, the robot froze in place at the claim. Backing away the cyborg emoted a look of disappointment; grin melting off her face, she decidedly let Meryn be walking off out of the kitchen. "Hm, it looks like I was right." Nodding, she began to accept what would probably become of her. Doubting Murdoc would actually kill her, she expected to be knocked unconscious and done away with. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before heading back to for her room.  
  
  
Pulling the handle behind her, she closed the door waiting for something happen. Frozen in front of the door, Meryn wondered why she'd be persuaded in the first place. Things weren't excellent back in England, but it was fine. Just fine. Silly her thinking she could do any better than the boring mundane day to day bullshit that every other adult was doomed to repeat for the rest of their lives. As it turned out, she had failed. Shaking her head, Meryn pushed away from the door, meandering around the room engulfed in thought. "If I had just kept up with 2D like I said I would, this wouldn't be happening. Hell, I'd probably actually be with him at this point,"snickering at how utterly amazing she was at ruining things for herself she gradually became unhinged. Snickering, then cackling, and finally howling with uncontrollable laughter. She fell forward, holding her stomach panting through the convulsions erupting from her lungs. Before long, the episode faded into nothingness. Regaining her normal stance, she tilted her head back staring up at the ceiling. A slight settling outside her door sounded, but she couldn't have cared less at this point. "Go ahead, stop wasting my time and yours," out loud she welcomed her abduction. "I lose," she mumbled under her breath, talking down to herself for ignoring her better judgment; all for the little fairy tale she wanted to be true. The room began to spin after every breath taken in. Between heavy-lidded blinks, Meryn's eyes started to roll into the back of her head. It was already happening. In urgency she jerked herself awake hating that she'd let herself end up in this situation, lowering her body to the floor she scowled in defeat. Smoke rising from underneath the door, she slapped her hands over her mouth and nose. Lying flat on the floor, a silhouette could be seen from underneath the door; begrudgingly she narrowed her eyes taking shallow breaths when needing to breathe. "Rrright you are Ryn. Hope we'll still be chummy after this, but for now love, you'll have to hate me," the undeniable chortle and raspy voice at the door spoke in an annoyingly pitying tone. A glare of contempt towards the door and the voice behind it and slowly she lost consciousness; blinking until everything went black.

* * *

  
Bottle in hand, 2D awoke lying on his back from his previous activity of staring blankly at the ceiling. The pills had helped a little, although the bottle clattering around in the chute scared him half to death on its descent. Turning just his head, he glanced over at the door. Palm clenching the tiny bottle, he couldn't help but feel worried about what Meryn had mentioned a couple hours ago. She had said she'd help him when the time was right; that much he understood, but one thing was still bothering him, well enough to awaken him from one of the more decent naps he'd had since being kidnapped. She had mentioned the possibility of Murdoc being aware of her movements, and the look on her face hinted that things might not go as either of them would have wanted. Gnawing on his bottom lip, he began to flex his arm clenching the bottle every couple of seconds just for the sake of doing something with his hands. Nothing to do but cower, masturbate, or sleep; 2D wished he could occupy himself in some way. Honestly, he'd be set to spend the rest of his days there if he had any instruments to twiddle with. Preferably, a keyboard or anything that would make an interesting sound. A lengthy arm flopped onto the floor from the edge of the mattress, firm fingertips tapped along to a tune playing in his head. Worries still nagging in the back of his head, he drowned it out humming smoothly with the little beat he'd spontaneously created.  
  
In the middle of the grand finale, a loud thud came at the door. Surprised, 2D flung halfway off the bed before stopping his face from taking the full brunt against the floor. Both arms reached out as he wormed off of the edge. Staggering a bit, he gained his footing. "Jus a minute!" he shouted towards the door, having forgotten that no one could hear him inside the bunker's walls. Tongue peeking out of the corner of his upturned mouth, he smoothed a few ruffled blue strands back into place. Regardless the door flew open anyway; Murdoc leaned against the metal frame a smirk slanted across his face, amused at the look of exhaustion reflected in 2D's unsuspecting pitch black eyes. "Haaaw...Expecting someone else?" Surprised, his two long arms fell to his sides. Dumbstruck, he stood like a deer in headlights, unable to muster up anything to say. "Having trouble sleeping? You look like hell mate,"Murdoc teased in a condescending tone. Eyeing the rest of the room, his focus drifted to the porthole, now covered with a makeshift curtain. "Wow," he snorted,"Ryn sure is resourceful! First the lift panel and now with this piss poor cover for your dumbass whale phobia." Eyes widened for a split second, turning his head in a different direction he tried not to show any emotion on his face, not wanting the wretched man to take with him any remaining amount of hope.  
  
"Yew knew bout Meryn?" 2D finally asked, his face falling in defeat. Scoffing, the green man drew forward motioning for the presence behind him to enter. At Murdoc's back, the cyborg peered past her commander. Entering after him in obedience, carrying the weight of the unconscious woman in question. Sullen, 2D's shoulders drooped at the sight of Meryn's sleeping form. In a deep sleep, her body hung from the forearms of the cyborg; head resting against the humanoid body that held her.  
  
"Of course I knew," Murdoc answered, rolling his eyes at the question. "Poor girl, she tried her best. Really she did, but unfortunately, on my island, none of it mattered,"tongue clicking in disappointment, he shook his head. "Wha'ddya mean...?,"2D asked glancing up from Meryn to the rather snide man who welcomed himself inside. "Ryn said it herself, I was just letting her do as she pleased until she overstepped,"his answer was simple as he examined the unkempt nails on the ends of his fingers. "She knew I was watching her." Snorting he chuckled,"Clever girl, but alas she gave all that up for the dumb idea of somehow saving you. Bit of a role reversal isn't it? Isn't the man supposed to rescue the girl?" Quietly, 2D realized what he meant. "But you know, this all really just worked out in my favor; I only told her to come along so she'd lure you in," Murdoc crossed his arms taking in a deep inhale. "Didn't expect you to respond so quick though. I mean really, as soon as she got here your sad little letter arrived not too long after. Funny, I really did anticipate a longer wait...Ah well. It was going to happen sooner or later anyhow; we both know our sweet Ryn isn't always so sweet,"Murdoc shrugged, snapping his fingers at Cyborg Noodle. At his command, the arms came out from under Meryn sending her plummeting to the floor. Her body shook at the fall, the weight of outstretched legs shifted her onto her side.   
  
2D winced immediately shooting a disapproving glare,"The hell's wrong wiff yew?!" Kneeling beside her, a hesitant hand shakily approached hovering over the shoulder that peeked out from Meryn's jacket. "Feh," Murdoc snorted,"She's a sturdy girl, she'll be fine." "S-Still!," glancing from the unconscious woman to the uncaring bassist, 2D trembled,"Why not jus let 'er go? All yew wanted woz me rioght?" Murdoc sighed,"I would, I would." Nodding along he came to stop,"But I can't have her blabbing about you being held in captivity--And you know...it would be a hassle to deal with her once she DID wake up." Pausing for a second, crooked nails picked in between sharpened teeth casually shirking the rest of an explanation,"Yeah, I don't know, I didn't think it all the way through honestly, I was drunk when I started putting this little plan into action. I just figured I'd throw her down here with you if things ever went south." Tongue snatching old food from in between his teeth he grew tired of explaining himself,"Look, I couldn't find you, but she could. Didn't really think about what to do with her after. Thing's aren't as contrived as you'd think." Pausing again he shot a smug patronizing glare,"Well not YOU per se. You don't have many intelligent thoughts, being special needs and all..." From the corner of his eye, 2D remained at Meryn's side his lip twitching in disgust.  
  
"What's that look for? Ryn would be mucking about right now, free as a bird, if not for trying to help you escape." Grinning, Murdoc wagged a finger,"Can't have you M.I.A. again, a band needs its lead singer..." Serious all of a sudden, Murdoc narrowed his eyes, piercing the forlorn shell of a man on the floor,"...And you have an obligation mate." A menacing leer followed his words; hopes shattered, 2D took a knee settling himself down before the ray of light that claimed she'd take him away from this place. Bringing his knees to his chest, he held on tight staring at the unaware sleeping woman at his feet, somehow he couldn't help but feel like this was his fault. Meryn had been used for the sole purpose of baiting him and now here they both were at the mercy of Gorillaz' pitiless and truly selfish leader. With a smirk, he turned for the door, calling over his shoulder,"Hey when she wakes up, tell her Ol' Murdy said 'No hard feelings'." Head turning back, he added,"Oh! And that I DID warn her, most people I kidnap don't get that luxury!" Guffawing at the door, he clapped his hands together; Cyborg Noodle awoke from her idle state joining her creator at the door. Artificial eyes stared curious to Meryn, back turned and motionless on the floor at 2D's feet. Scanning the face of defeat on the hopeless man sat in fetal position on the floor, the Noodle replica etched this image into her memory. She understood the long face, and more so that it was what her creator wanted of these two people. It appeared to be her purpose to control these two under the instruction of Murdoc. Dutifully, she glanced up to her contented superior with a submissive yet doleful frown. Pleased, he patted the top of his underling's head,"Well done." At his acknowledgment of her continued loyalty, a tiny smile formed on her exit. One more look at the two prisoners; pathetic and powerless, Murdoc grunted in amusement,"I'm a fair man. I sent for your shit so at least you'll have something to do while you're not needed. Meryn'll get hers too. See? Uncle Murdy is so nice in fact, that he'll even deliver special means of inspiring you two to erm...indulge." Suggestively raising his eyebrows, Murdoc bit down over his bottom lip humming in a perverted manner,"Nhnn you're welcome by the way."   
  
The door slammed shut leaving him with her in silence. For a while, 2D did nothing. Watching the immobile woman breathe in and out for several minutes wondering how long it would be before she finally woke up. In just a matter of hours, all hope was lost. Sighing, air escaped through the gaps in his teeth,"I'll hafta 'pologize when she comes 'round..." For now, all he could offer her was a more comfortable slumber than on the floor. Unfolding his legs, he reached out stopping before laying a finger on her. From her position on her side, and from where he knelt he'd be touching untraveled territory if he attempted to lift her. Half expecting Meryn to wake up, he drew backward in fear of being deemed a pervert. As tedious as it was, 2D stepped over trying his luck behind her instead. A quaking hand placed on her back, he used the other to pull at her hip having to dip past the curve and onto her stomach. Changing the center of gravity, her body rolled over onto her back thanks to his efforts. On her back, one of her legs slid forward. The other, still bent flopped over at his lap. "Dear Lord...," he mumbled, gulping at the vulnerable sight. Rapidly shaking his head, tufts of spiky hair slapped him in the face,"No no no no! Quit gawkin' at 'er!" Both hands slapped at his cheeks willing the sinful curiosity away. Serious he slid his hands underneath her, open palm against her back and gripping the underside of her thighs, 2D lifted her dead weight staggering to his feet. Adjusting her weight along extensive forearms, he managed to support her neck gliding a hand through veils of draping hair. "Its jus loike before--,"he reminisced of the other time he carried her to bed.  Struggling he held his balance taking careful steps over to his bed. As gently as possible, Meryn was lowered onto the bed. Head resting against his pillow the rest of her floated down onto the soft surface. Both legs slid forward, an arm gracefully fell onto her chest the other stretched out towards the wall. "Sorted," he murmured taking a step back.  
  
"Phew."   
  
In relief, 2D sighed closing his eyes and folding his arms across his chest with a wide satisfied grin. With the small accomplishment behind him, the gravity of their predicament set in. Eyes shot open at the realization that she was his cellmate from this point on. Everything would have to be shared, including...He gulped,"The bed..." Nervous finicky movement ensued. Elephant in the room; he knew well what people who liked each other did behind closed doors, and for them, the doors were closed indefinitely. Spastic fidgeting and groveling with the occasional glance to Meryn, checking to see that she hadn't woken up to witness his embarrassing behavior made up the rest of his afternoon. At the foot of his bed, 2D stretched out his legs, leaning backwards his head rested against the mattress. Both crestfallen and reluctantly stimulated by the cheap porn plot waiting to happen, his eyes narrowed; anticipating the flow of whatever they were, being interrupted with a violent shove into purely pornographic chaos. At least that's how things played out in his mind. Lips pursed he wondered if that's what she would even want, let alone allow to happen. A little disgusted with himself for even assuming such a thing would instantly happen, 2D groaned out loud. It hadn't been that long since his last random sexual encounter, yet a couple woman-less weeks had turned him into some kind of drooling moron. Perhaps it also had to do with the week of solitude he was subjected to, and the sudden presence of a pretty female. Eyes coming to a close he listened to the sound of light breathing coming from behind,"Ol' right. Mum raised me t'be a proper gent, so tha's wha' I'll keep doin' f'now." 


	26. Cellmate

"Mmnh,"brows furrowed, Meryn started to stir. Wavering and still half asleep, she attempted to sit up. Frustrated at the lagging response of her own body, she groaned aloud whimpering helplessly having no idea where she was or what was happening. Panicking her breathing became heavy, shakily her head turned from side to side trying to will herself awake. Successfully wrenching her eyes open after squirming about for so long, she could see. Blurry at first, even with glasses on, Meryn eventually regained her sight. All her senses began to come back to life; a fiery burning feeling in the pit of her stomach brought her hurling forward into an upright position. Gasping in shock it felt like she took a decent breath for the first time all day, if it was, in fact, the same day. The last events she was conscious for played out in her mind.  
  
All her suspicions right on the money, Murdoc had knocked her out for an unknown amount of time and brought her...where exactly? Confused brown eyes shot at every corner of the room recalling whom it belonged to right after. Head dizzying she shook her head pushing away the remaining exhaustion. "D?", she called for him. Throat dry she was barely audible even to herself. The sound of rushing water nearby broke the ringing in her ears, only to abruptly stop. Curiosity enthralled her bringing her feet towards the bathroom door. A nervous hand lifted to knock, wondering if it was even 2D that was behind the door. With tons of time unaccounted for, it could have been Murdoc for all she knew. The shaky fist barely touched the door and in an instant, it was pulled inward.  
  
Frozen in the doorway they both stood staring each other down, red-faced and wide-eyed. No downward glance necessary, it was plain as day that 2D was indeed stark naked. In the several seconds it took to comprehend the embarrassment of the situation, Meryn quickly spun around inwardly screaming. As if someone had pressed play on the scene, 2D sprung backward slamming his back against the door,"I UHM UH--" On every word he stammered. At her back, the thuds of spastic movement and clumsy staggering continued making the situation almost laughable. Cheeks filled with air, Meryn held in the urge to burst out into uproarious laughter. "SORRY! SORRY! I f-Forgot moi towel aND I thOught YEw were Still sCHleepin' coz I wuz watchin' afta yew--Nawt in the CreePy way! But Loike yew were out f'awhile and jus figured I betta shower'avin a gerl in me ruum--," his volume was ever changing. His voice warbled, shouting, and jumping from statement to statement but never actually completing a thought. "It's fine! It's fine!," she insisted. Her back still turned, a snicker crept out in the form of a snort,"S-Sorry!" Awkwardly Meryn cleared her throat staring up to the ceiling,"Are you um O.K. back there?" His yammering came to a stop; a long arm extended past in Meryn's line of sight pointing to the towel hung on one of the many pipes protruding from the ceiling to the floor,"Well um...could yew toss it back t'me? Gettin' lil cold."  
  
Awkward and shuffling forward she retrieved the towel, body pivoting towards him she continued to look in the opposite direction handing it over from where she stood,"Here." In one sleek movement, it was practically yanked from her hand as 2D retreated back behind closed doors. The door slammed shut in a split second, the force of the door blowing a portion of her hair over her shoulder. "Fank yew!" shouted from the other side, followed by more frantic movement and grunting to hurriedly clothe himself. Safe to turn around, Meryn cautiously faced the door folding her arms across her chest uncomfortably waiting for him to reappear. It didn't take long at all, in a mere minute the door burst open to 2D now fully dressed in his usual t-shirt and jeans pairing. "Uhm sowwy bout tha'...," still very much embarrassed himself, he scratched the back of his head sauntering forward. He stopped further away than he usually would when speaking to a person he considered to be a good friend; then again, he had just been nude before his good friend who happened to be an attractive female that he shamefully indulged in using for masturbatory purposes. "It's O.K. I didn't see anything, and even if I had it would have been my fault. This is your room after all...," Meryn trailed off just then wondering why she had wound up in 2D's room in the first place. Had she been trapped down here with him? "Well it's yer ruum nao too...," immediately 2D confirmed her suspicions scratching the stubble that was growing back over his lip. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded along raising an eyebrow unsure of what to do or say.   
  
"Murdoc dropped yew off down 'ere bout half a day ago nao, yew've been sleep for a looooong time. If nawt f'yer steady breavin', I woulda thought yew were dead," he continued. Loosened up a bit, he felt it safe to close in the distance between them. "Yew feelin' O.K. Kat?" As best as she could, Meryn put on a happy face,"Yeah." The corners of her mouth twitched on the painfully fake smile; even obvious to 2D he frowned,"No yer nawt." Chuckling she shrugged,"I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling right now." So frustrated all Meryn could do was laugh off the rising animosity and foolhardy shame having been caught and humiliated by the green pickle man. Eventually, she began shaking; her teeth clenched in an unnerving grimace, 2D had to look away being somewhat uncomfortable with someone who was becoming unraveled in front of him. "I'm sorry," she apologized suddenly, enabling 2D to be able to face her again. "F'Wha? Yew din't do anyfing,"confusion in his voice he cocked his head to the side placing a contemplative finger on his chin. Shaking her head, she cackled,"Even now you're such a nice guy."   
  
"Wha're yew talkin' about???," now completely unclear as to what she was referring to, 2D's face scrunched in puzzlement. A thick brow shot up on his forehead; vexed and frustrated with his own lack of understanding," Yer gonna hafta spell it out f'me, it's gone completely ova moi head!" His voice raised in the moment, once he noticed it receded back to his normal volume,"Nawt yellin' a' yew or anyfing, I jus don't get it. I mean yeah, I go bout fings real easy loike. I fink I'm a gud fella 'nd ol' but I don't know why--" Impatient she cut him off,"Because I failed!" Her own volume spiked in disappointment with herself; losing her cool, Meryn lifted a leg stomping it to the floor with impressive force," I said I would get you out of here! And all I did, was solidify your imprisonment! And now I'm here--Taking up your space because I was stupid and didn't think everything through--!" Surprise in his eyes having never seen Meryn fuming mad. Taken back by the sudden level of intensity, his arms came up defensively on their own half expecting to get hit for angering her. The tangent abruptly stopped on his flinchy movements. Staggering on her words, her voice was breaking,"N-No--I'm not--I wouldn't hit you--" Choked up she looked as if she might cry,"I'm not mad at you D. I'm just...sorry...O.K.?" Slowly he nodded a bit shaken. Arms lowering to his side, 2D tried to defuse the tense misunderstanding,"It's jus...a fowrce of habit, love. Nevah seen yew ticked off loike this before..."   
  
In deep thought, she walked past staring at her feet as they brought her to the bathroom door. Hand on the knob she sighed turning her head slightly to address him,"I just feel like a loser right now. I gave up my own stability to come here, I basically let myself be a sitting duck in the master plan of a geriatric manipulative...green...fuck like Murdoc. All for--For..." Glancing over her shoulder, she looked at the man she'd given up her mundane simple life for. Silence filled the now widened gap between them. 2D looked back in question,"For wha?" _No._ It wasn't just for 2D, it was for the memory of everyone and everything that she had in the months of her extended stay at Kong. Whisked away by the nostalgia of this small group of people; not only 2D, but Russel, the miraculous survival of Noodle, and even Murdoc. All of them had meant something to Meryn; they were all just people, human-like herself, but encountering Gorillaz her life had taken a different path. Something about the craziness and surreal happenings that came with them, made her grim outlook on life be filled with color. From practical to rose-colored spectacles, she had let herself become optimistic. And for her stupidity, she was being punished with a heavy dose of reality.   
  
"Kat?"  
  
Jerking to attention she opened the door,"I'm just going to think for a bit." Stepping inside, she turned to face him. His expression worried, he began to lift a hand. As if to reach out and stop her. Resigning the attempt the hand went limp, falling back to his side. Reassuring him with a small smile, she closed the door leaving him there silently lowering his head. Behind closed doors was the only place she would allow herself to be at her most vulnerable. In the small bathroom once again, Meryn sat on the edge of the tub twiddling her fingers back and forth. Knee bouncing at the arch of her foot, she spoke in a hushed tone being unkind to herself. She hated that she fucked up. She hated that there was nothing she could do. She hated that she couldn't simply let this go and make light of the situation. Here she was, now trapped like a rat alongside the man she had immense feelings for. And yet still she was unable to be happy. Fingers bridged across at her knuckles she took in a deep breath trying to accept her defeat. The face of Murdoc appeared in her mind. "The next chance I get, I'm going to kill him...," she whispered to herself.

* * *

  
She had been in the bathroom for awhile; 2D patiently waited sitting with his legs crossed over each other on the bed. Every so often, his leg would begin to tap a bit restlessly. He was trying to give her space as he respected her wanting to be alone for awhile. Of course, being trapped in a room together made that difficult, and the bathroom was the only place she or he could have any sort of privacy from here on. But still...  
  
"K-Kat?! I gotta use tha toilet!" 2D called, his bladder starting to give out on him. Unannounced the cellar door creaked open grabbing his undivided attention. Chucking beyond the door, Murdoc peered inside,"Knock knock. Brought something for you as promised!" Cyborg Noodle pushed the metal door open fully with ease, her other arm held various belongings of 2D that was left behind from his flat in Beirut. His face lit up seeing his beloved keyboards and synthesizers after days of nothing in captivity. The small space from the elevator to the prison door was crowded with all his favorite junk. "Spidey!," like a child he gleefully bounced in place seeing his cardboard cut out of Spiderman being placed inside. Along came oriental trinkets, the random dog statue he'd bought spur the moment in France and a large Syrian flag. For the first time since being held here, 2D was actually quite happy to see Murdoc. At the snap of his fingers, the cyborg shot up from placing the last instrument onto the floor. A banjo that he didn't recall ever buying sat upright against the thickest pipe jutting out from the floor. "Uh? Issat' a gift f'me or somefink?,"rubbing his head he looked to Murdoc surprised by his kindness. "No, Face-ache that's from Ryn's room. She hauled it over here in one of her many goddamn bloody bags--I don't ask why women carry the shit they do, why don't you ask her?" lazily leaning in the doorway, Murdoc lifted one of the several bags at his side throwing it to the floor inside at the foot of the bed. "But...she doesn't play nuthin' why would she have this?" 2D pressed on not understanding why she'd have it. Loudly groaning, Murdoc rolled his eyes,"Looooook, none of that matters to me. I'm just giving you your shit so you don't go insane down here. Can't have your creative spirits dwindling when I need it most."  
  
Eyes widened beyond the artificial choppy bangs of the cyborg before she went onto her next task. Mouth ajar, 2D stopped himself from asking anything further. The vacant look given from Cyborg Noodle sent a chill down his spine. Back into the hallway, she lifted the T.V. and DVD player from Meryn's room sliding them along the lime green floor into a corner. On her way back to the hall, she began to lift the remainder of things at her superior's side. The slightest of noises sounded at 2D's left from behind. "Hm?" he hummed curious turning to face the bathroom door. What he saw was the blur of a person sprinting past him for the door. All his eyes were able to focus in on was the luster of deep heliotrope hair, the quickest leg movement he'd ever seen in fitted skinny jeans, and the smeared image of red-orange with strong yet feminine arms coming from the sleeves. In the blink of an eye, Meryn somehow ended up on the other side of the room just as he registered what was about to happen. Murdoc turned to see the incoming danger at the last possible second. The next thing he saw was a barred fist and what followed after was a view of the ceiling. It happened so fast; mid-stride with all her might, Meryn reared back winding her right arm forward colliding her fist with the unsuspecting man's face. The heavy hand hammered square into his nose, sending him back onto the floor. Instantly the barrel of a gun pointed back at her; cross-eyed staring directly into the dark abyss that could easily end her life, Meryn froze in place.  
  
Hand clasped over his nose, Murdoc sprung back up on his elbow,"Sweet fucking Satan my nose! What the bloody hell Ryn?!" He surprisingly sounded as if he'd been betrayed; alarmed and surprised that she'd attack. Cyborg Noodle held her stance. Finger on the trigger, a cold and hostile stare dared Meryn to move. Staggering to his feet, Murdoc hissed wincing at the stinging pain,"No no don't kill her for fuck's sake!" Looking almost disappointed, the cyborg obeyed slowly lowering her aim. Glancing past the attempt of murder, Murdoc eyed 2D sitting dumbfounded in the same spot. Bug-eyed and jaw dropped he sat tensed up and stiffened unable to process the scene he was witnessing. "Wipe the dumb look off your face!" commanded his captor. Nervously, 2D flinched raising his hand over his mouth to cover the agape awe-inspired look on his face. Fleeting eye contact, he looked off in the corner of the room afraid that he might get hit for anything resembling a mocking grin. Barreling forward, Murdoc grasped the scoop rim of Meryn's tank; unfazed she blankly stared into his mismatched colored eyes. "The hell do you think you're doing you worthless little slag?!," he spat at her shaking her in place. A small smirk lined her lips as she was silently jerked back and forth by her shirt.   
  
Bewildered, Murdoc's eyes widened for a moment before returning to normal; the lack of remorse in her narrowed eyes caused a crooked grin to stretch across his face, "I could have let you die, you know that?" No reaction. "When you sell your soul darling, you become immortal. You understand? I won't die, love," teeth flashed through his widening grin. Chortling he grunted half-way laughing in pity of her mortality,"But you will, Ryn." Indifferent, she eventually blinked,"The first chance I get, I'll test your theory." Imposing, she stood 2 inches taller, admittedly overconfident,"Then we'll find out which of us will die first." Done with her threats, Murdoc shoved her aside releasing his hold,"Tch. Lippy cunt."  
  
Stammering slightly, she withstood his attempt at knocking her off balance. A genuine smile tore across her features, almond eyes twinkled in satisfaction. Hands behind her back, she held onto her wrist putting forth an innocent demeanor. "Since you insist on being a goddamn bitch today, you can do without the rest of your shit for a while," Murdoc sputtered kicking the bags in the doorway into the hall space. "All the same, we're going inland in couple days; you and your cum guzzling whore are coming with. My therapist says keeping people in captivity makes you lot go off your rockers. Clearly, Ryn's only been in here half a sodding day and already lost her head."   
  
Shrugging, Meryn sighed letting the adrenaline fizzle out of her system. "Fix your attitude before we depart. You ought to be more grateful, considering I'm still allowing you to bum around after you acted like an absolute twat a couple minutes ago," glaring out of the corners of his eyes, Murdoc impatiently tapped his foot at her continued defiance. Noting the concern on 2D's face, he added a word of warning turning on his heel to leave,"Better tell her to watch her mouth before something bad happens to her. Oh and the motivational material I mentioned before is tucked away nice and tight in your flag over there." A lazy finger pointed to the folded up Syrian flag settled on top of the T.V. A quick wink at 2D on his exit, Murdoc cocked his head signifying Cyborg Noodle to follow after. The suggestive shit-eating grin as he disappeared at the door struck a chord that sent spasms up 2D's spine. With a silly expression on his face, his tongue peeked out over his bottom lip having never felt so put on the spot in an implication.  
  
Arms folded over her chest, Meryn spun around to face him; hair swung gracefully gathering down her back and over her shoulders in varying amounts. Caught in her eyes, he flinched sitting up completely straight wearing a dumb uncomfortable smile. Hoping she wouldn't ask what Murdoc meant by 'motivational material', he grinned a bit too hard clenching his teeth so hard that it was beginning to be painful. "Sorry I took so long, the bathroom's free now,"sensing worry emitting from him, she kindly smiled back choosing to ignore the strained guilty plastered all over his face. Suddenly remembering he had to go so badly, the pain of a full bladder hit. 2D jumped to his feet shifting in place,"Oh yeah forgot ol' bout tha'!" Watching his back as he waddled to the bathroom door, Meryn couldn't help but smile. In the presence of 2D, he would never allow her to be bored, his quirks were too intriguing to ever tire of. Once the door closed behind him, Meryn gasped out finally letting herself react to a gun being pointed in her face,"Shit..." Acting on her impulse scared her, but in moments like these, it was thrilling. Hand grasping her chest, she eventually slowed her breathing back to normal, accepting things as they were. So she would be stuck in here with 2D for the foreseeable future; at least she had managed to land a blow with a right hook, this way she retained some of her pride.  
  
"Phew~", a long drawn out sigh of relief sounded from the bathroom door along with the emptying of his bladder in a continuous audible stream. Meryn brought a hand to her mouth covering up the snicker that threatened to escape. Looking around at the environment, she familiarized herself with she'd be seeing a lot of from here on. Eventually, her focus landed on the flag that Murdoc referenced to before leaving. In a few glides, she knelt down in front of the T.V. and DVD set she'd had in her own room some floors above. Curious a hand placed over the green star centered on the folded fabric, something hard and rectangular was wrapped up inside. Making herself comfortable she settled onto the floor holding the flag in her lap in plain sight for 2D to see once he came out. The face he made earlier already told her what was inside, but having nothing else to do and being entertained by his animated outbursts and mannerisms, she shamefully wanted to confirm her guess by his reaction.  
  
Without a care in the world, he emerged closing the door behind him. All traces of a carefree outlook changed once his darkened globes landed on her. Slow to react, 2D scrambled over trying to hide the urgency in his walk cycle. Awkwardly plopping down in front of her, he broke a sweat hesitantly extending both arms hoping she'd simply hand it over,"C-Can I 'ave tha' back pleeze?" Pouting, Meryn pursed her lips,"Kaaaay." Easier than he thought it would be he was able to breathe easy again,"Fanks." Placing the flag in his palms, she smirked mischievously,"Is it porn?"  
  
"NOE!," quickly denying the truth in her question, 2D held the square behind his back. Like a puffer fish in distress, his cheeks ballooned up turning different shades of red. "Lemme see!," Meryn reached forward playfully nudging at his arm. "NNHN," erratically shaking his head from side to side he shuffled backward falling onto his back trying to escape her perverted yet completely true claim. _Too easy._ On all fours, Meryn crawled around his clumsy faltered form, leaning overhead. Her smug face seemed to appear before him out of nowhere, wide-eyed he looked back nervously his mouth forming a squiggled line. "Wanna watch it together?" she teased barely managing to suggest such a thing with a straight face. "Wot?!," he shot back up. Unable to keep up the charade, she laughed aloud disappearing from overhead. Head tilting back to view the upside image of Meryn laughing her ass off, 2D squinted glaring sheepishly at her antics,"Yew 'aven't changed a bit."  
  
"That's a good thing isn't it?," Meryn stopped laughing rocking back in forth from where she sat in the middle of the floor. "Hmph," sitting up 2D sulked bringing the flag back round to the safety of his lap back turned away from her teasing. "Ol'ways messin' wiff me...," he mumbled peeking into the middle of the flag. Puzzled upon seeing the title, his head tilted bumping into the presence that shaded over his shoulder. "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Bang?," she read aloud peering over his shoulder. A couple of inches away from her face, he could have easily pulled her in and shut her mouth with the force of his own. Instead, 2D shot a cross look back to her. Drawing away, she was a bit stricken by the irksome glare he'd just given. Obediently she left him be returning to where she came. Quieted and feeling like a pest she brought he legs into her chest staring down dejected at the bright green floor. It wasn't what he intended but it made her back off, "It's jus loike uncomfortable talkin' t'yew about stuff loike tha'. It's kinda somefing us blokes do in private--" "Want me to leave you to it then?" she kept her eyes on the floor realizing she was openly arguing with him. 2D paused more surprised that they were having a flat out quarrel than actually being angry. After a while, he spoke again,"Why're yew 'avin a go a'me?" "I'm not,"she answered quickly. "I just don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of something that everyone does," letting out quite the sigh at the end of her explanation.   
  
"L-Look," he tried to reason with her pushing aside the curious thoughts of her engaging in the act,"I'm nawt gonna do stuff loike tha' wiff yew in here." She was refusing eye contact, finding the floor to interesting to look away from no doubt. "I din't ask f'Murdoc ta bring it to me, he jus did! It jus...complicates fings Kat. We ol'ready hafta share a bed, I'm nawt tryna make yew shack it up wiff me while we're held here," his ineptitude was clear in moments like these. Even he no longer knew what he was saying. "It's your bed, I can sleep on the floor," at long last, she managed to look him the eye. A fretful glint in his eyes, 2D's mouth slanted in discontent,"Can't let yew do tha'. Wuldn't be gentlemanly if yew slept on the floor." As if she was somehow insulted by his problem solving, she sneered,"It's a twin, we're two fully grown adults D; we'd practically be sleeping on top of each other, which you've made clear is a nuisance." In all her brooding, Meryn was quite difficult to deal with. He couldn't put a finger on why she was acting this way all of a sudden. Still; he shook his head,"Nope."   
  
A long painful pause took over for what felt like ages. What finally ended the silence was the stifled laughter coming from 2D,"Sowwy I know we're 'avin a shit moment rioght nao, but I can't stop finkin' bout the title on this porno." Childish giggling bellowed from his turned hunched over back, vibrating in hysterics. She rolled her eyes, a slight smile peeking through her otherwise hardened posture,"The perfect corny porn title." 2D hummed in agreement chuckling through his teeth. Noticing the single bag of hers placed nearby where he sat, Meryn shrugged off the remaining unease forcing conversation,"See the bag next to you? Can you tell me what's in it?" Silently he reached over wordlessly unzipping the duffel, barely peering inside, he shot upright stunned at its contents. "Buncha frilly fings!" he blurted out plainly. Quiet at first, Meryn's cackling reached an outburst,"Well shit!" Rather than being embarrassed for being stuck in enclosed space with nothing but underwear to put on, she found it was better to laugh than overthink and make this situation even more uncomfortable for them both. "Yew can wear moi stuff til Murdoc comes back," slowly his head pivoted to nod reassuringly at his decisive idea. "I'll stretch your shirts out," she facepalmed becoming increasingly distressed.  
  
"Yer nawt fat!" 2D spun around completely, appearing to be halfway irritated at the mere suggestion. "That's...not what I mean D," straight-faced, Meryn awkwardly pointed at her chest narrowing her eyes to two slants. "Oh...," taking a deep breath, 2D didn't really mind sharing any of his things; however, the continued nature of things was making it hard to resist the hankering thoughts that made it difficult to even look in her general direction on a remotely sexual topic. "It's O.K. wiff me, yew gotta wear somefing," yawning he'd become exhausted having so much tension crammed into the last 30 minutes. Warding off the possibility of another dispute, 2D made himself clear,"I mean it, Kat. No arguing wiff me on this."  
  
The fluttering in her chest started up after years of being stagnant. Whenever he DID put his foot down, it was extremely attractive. As he'd done those years ago in Brighton when he'd taken the initiative and done simple but thoughtful things on their overnight trip to southern England, it was having the same effect on her. Meryn nodded submissively looking in a different direction once his gaze had fallen back on her. "Heh, I've ol'ready 'ad moi shower, go on and get clean so we can kick back the rest of tha nioght," shifting onto his knees, he stood up stretching his arms out. Looping an arm with her bag, 2D brought it over to her, extending his free hand to lift her up from where she sat. Looking up at him, his tall stature was even more staggering; meekly she took his hand being lifted with the slightest of efforts. Bouncing to her feet she caught a glimpse of his hypnotizing stare immediately becoming flustered and powerless despite the questioning rise of his brow. Tight-lipped she finally looked away,"Thanks."  
  
"Mmhm," he chirped placing the bag around her wrist. Staggering for the bathroom, she looked back opening her mouth to inquire. "Jus lemme know when yer finished wiff a knock and I'll hand yew somefing t'put on," he smoothly answered the question in her mind before she was able to ask. With a smile, Meryn disappeared.

* * *

  
While she took her time, 2D pondered how to make this as G-rated as possible. She was right, after all, it was a small bed and the both of them would have no choice but to touch. Groaning he inwardly blamed Murdoc, if he were to pursue her, he'd rather not do it under these circumstances. Keeping the T-Shirt on, he kicked out of his jeans finding a random pair of lounge pants he'd not worn in years. Usually sleeping in only his underwear, Meryn's presence made that luxury impossible. It was going to be difficult enough not getting an erection with a girl practically laying on him; being in his underwear would only make it obvious that his lower half insisted on saying "hello". Hand over his mouth, 2D fell into deep thought in horror of that very thing happening. Stepping into the pants, he fussed upon hearing the water stop. Hurrying to mentally prepare himself and prevent another awkward happening, 2D sprung into action, plugging in the electronics that would serve as distractions throughout the night. It would be fine. At least that's what he told himself. Fishing through the pile of clothes he searched for something that would fit her differing shape.   
  
**Knock knock.**  
  
Two shy knocks came at the door taking the breath out of his lungs. Deciding on a plaid pair of pajama pants and a black band tee he tripped over his feet heading for the door. Awkwardly he knocked back, not sure why he even did so in the first place,"Crack tha door, I'll hand em t'ya." A few seconds later the door cracked, her damp arm lined with beads of water came from the tight space. Gently placing the rolled up clothing in her open palm, her other hand came to properly grasp the wad so that it wouldn't fall to the floor.   
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Yer welcome Kat...Uhm, lemme know if yew wan' somefing else," he drew a blank on what he was supposed to say or do here. Wandering back to the T.V., he occupied his thoughts with the stack of the DVD's she brought along to Plastic Beach. A small smile crept across his face seeing that the majority of them were horror related. Shifting on the other side ceased after a few minutes. With a heavy sigh, she turned the knob dragging her feet as she made her way over towards the man who practically shoved his face in the case of The Descent the literal moment she emerged from the bathroom. "Wanna watch it?," Meryn asked taking a couple steps back, unsure of what was too much or what he considered to be a bold move. "Uhh...yeah guess so, go 'head 'nd get comfy Kat,"mustering up the courage to handle seeing her, 2D's head swiveled to survey how good she looked wearing his clothes. As he thought, it was cute; and as she guessed it, her chest caused the shirt to fit tighter on her than him. As it turned out, this would be a chore.   
  
Defeated, he lowered his head trying not to crack a smile,"It looks fine, love. Settle in and I'll squeeze in next t'ya once I pop this in." Softly murmuring something under her breath she hesitated to lower herself in. "Yew get under, I'll schleep on top of the covers. Problem solved!" putting on a brave face he forced himself to look back at her again. The view from behind was somehow even worse watching as she bent over ever so slightly to simply lift the blanket for her entrance. Gulping, 2D gawked a bit popping the DVD from its case and attempting to insert the disc without actually looking at the DVD player. On her knees she settled in, it was then that he noticed her hair had changed; back to the reminiscent wispy waves, he'd preferred over the straightened style she made a point to maintain. Once under the covers, she turned her attention to what he was doing, or lack thereof. On her side, she smirked a little under his watchful eye,"You're missing the DVD player by about a mile."  
  
Embarrassed his head swung back paying attention to the task at hand. Inserted he nervously waited for the title screen tapping his leg against the floor. "Wha' is this again?" he asked having no clue what he put on. "Bunch of girls explore a cave and bad things happen," Meryn explained the plot in a rather vague manner, finding his avoidance of joining her in bed a lot more interesting than the movie she'd seen several times. Bug-eyed he nodded jumping at the sudden theatrical audio of a title screen. A shaky finger pressed 'play' shuffling backward for the bed in an unnatural shifty burst of movement. Back against the frame, he closed his eyes. Hand on his knee, he pushed off the floor standing back turned readying himself for the possibility of a fuck up. As quickly as he turned around, he lowered himself down beside her. The barrier of the covers prohibited anybody to body contact. Still, her body heat could be felt through the flimsy blanket. Feeling nothing but her gaze, 2D found it impossible to continue staring off into nothingness. For a time, the both of them lie frozen in place; on her side, Meryn's hair had fallen gracefully along the curve of her breasts. His eyes traveled a bit further staring for a few brief moments at the dip of her back. Everything in sight screamed 'feminine' back at him. On his back, the rising and falling of each breath proved to be mesmerizing; the elongated body of 2D was something she could study for hours. Facing her, Meryn tried as she might not to lean in and place upon his lips the essence of romanticism. Even more of a struggle; she had more alarming thoughts nagging away, such as being pinned down and made into a personal cock sleeve in the mercy of his grasp.  
  
_Jesus Christ._  
  
  
Blinking the sin-filled ideas away she looked past him at the lit screen. Noticing he had too been distracted for a long while, 2D shook his head wrenching his eyes to focus on the form of entertainment he was supposed to be watching. Gulping once again, his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. Staring intensely at the movie he tried to put aside that what he really wanted to watch was Meryn watching him. As the night went on, he felt her gaze lessening as she drifted off to sleep. The movie was practically over at this point, but at least now it was safe to satiate his unrelenting desire of looking at her. Turning over on his side, he shamelessly watched her peaceful slumber. Meryn had shifted slightly; her cheek against his pillow she looked rather maidenly. Hair draped over her shoulder and along the small of her back. Each curl intricate in its own way, 2D's gaze trekked the swirling locks. Lips slightly ajar, they pursed forward as if inviting him over to follow suit. Heat flushed in his chest at the thought. Keeping his hands to himself, he still wondered what her shape felt like gliding in the palm of his hands. Gradually his own eyes closed. Shaking half asleep in amusement of the events that unfolded earlier that day, the image of her punching a hole in Murdoc's face nearly woke him up. Smile on his face he followed after to the rhythm of her breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things happen in the next one. And the one after. Thank you all for your patience!


	27. Succumb

Blinking himself awake, 2D's eyes opened to the same sight of the last 3 days. Always in a different position, Meryn was the first thing he saw and the last thing he saw at the end of each day. Today he awoke to see her back-turned and hair wildly nesting underneath her head from the tossing and turning of the night before. She moved a lot in her sleep, often cuddling up beside him or climbing him like a tree; wrapped around his waist or linked with his legs possessively holding on. Yawning wide, he stretched his arms overhead shuddering in satisfaction of relieving the built-up tension that came with sharing a bed with a wild sleeper.   
  
"Hey D?"  
  
Surprised he darted his attention to Meryn,"Yew were awake?" Shifting Meryn turned over, laying flat on her back,"Yep." Averting his eyes from the uncovered skin peeking from underneath the shirt he'd let her borrow, 2D looked just past her at the orange wallpaper behind her. He figured she wouldn't be able to tell the difference as long as he was facing her, no one ever could. Rubbing the scruff regrowing under his chin, he half wailed half let out an exasperated groan,"Murdoc's gonna come waltzing in any minute nao." "I've never known him to be prompt...," she blankly pointed out. "He is when it comes tew Gorillaz, yew can bet on tha'...,"rubbing his eyes the skin stretched revealing the pink of his eyelid; another yawn followed after his drawl. "Oh yeh, by the way, Kat, I've been finkin' tha' maybe yew should do wha' he says f'while," he spoke with concern in his words; backed by the advising stern look in his eye. "I know it came outta n'where but I keep forgettin' t'say it,"2D continued,"Jus don't wan' yew gettin' killed off or somefink."  
  
"Hm...you think he really would have?" the thought was unnerving although she would continuously deny being afraid of a person she considered to be a gutter human being. "I dunno--But tha' cyborg Newdle yeah? She pointed tha gun dead in yer face!," a bit riled up 2D became increasingly animated, imitating the long barrel of a rifle he held out both hands pointing the imaginary gun at the ceiling. "Pskewww," making the best impression of a gunshot he could, he looked back to her as if he made his point. "Yep that's what a gun does. Thanks for the visual D," Meryn sarcastically murmured under her breath. "Yer welcome, love," the tone of her voice went unnoticed by him anyhow. "Sometimes its betta t'jus do wha' he says, I don' loike iht but I don't wan' any real trouble either. Know wha' I mean?" There was bitterness in his tone; begrudgingly he accepted his fate as it were. Sitting up, 2D kicked his legs over the edge,"Guess I'll showa ferst then."  
  
"Kay...,"rolling back over on her side, Meryn wanted a bit more sleep if she could get it. Dealing with Murdoc would be an accomplishment in and of itself. Especially if she were to be dragged around to places he vaguely described or explained. In a deep breath, Meryn tried to lull herself off to sleep; instead, the nagging petty concern ate away at any dream material she attempted to put forth. _Why can't he look at me?_ Always looking through or past her, Meryn had begun to think something was wrong. Not once had they talked about the obvious. In the rare moments that he wasn't near, Meryn would reread the letter he sent and pick apart his words looking for any underlining clue. One thing she had noticed was that the feelings reciprocated were referred to in past tense. By this time Meryn had memorized the beginning of his reply.  
  
'Two things Kat; one, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO?! And two; I kinda want to move on from Gorillaz, try my hand at other things and see how I end up. Know what I mean? But, you know I sorta had a little thing for you myself. I just think you can do better than me.'  
  
  
Eyes squinted shut she puffed up her cheeks into a childish pout holding her breath until it felt like her lungs would explode. The keyword rang mockingly in her mind over and over again.  _Had._ Even once she'd successfully dosed off again, the persistent thought resurfaced every few seconds in the form of 2D's consistent evasion tactics. Playing dumb, distractions, being secretive of everything, and last but certainly not least, the infamous pretending to maintain eye contact. Seeing more gray than red, all became quiet granting Meryn the thoughtless silence she yearned for. Completely still she took in the brief solitude finally allowing herself to exhale.  
  
"Fuckin' hell!"  
  
The sound of rushing water and the racket of stumbling, slipping, and then a loud thud brought all the seething back tenfold. "A-AH UHM, I'M FINE DON' WORRY BOUT ME!," hollered from the shower floor. More clamoring and clumsy antics resonated providing Meryn with the full play by play without having to inquire.  _He slipped in the shower, knocked over the shower head, tried to catch his balance by grabbing the curtain, instead fell out of the tub and onto the floor and was now currently scrambling to to lift himself off the floor so he could awkwardly survey the damage and then carry on like none of this had happened._ "Heh," she chuckled shaking her head,"Idiot."   
_  
.......  
  
...........  
  
................  
  
_  
_**Had.**  
  
_ Wildly flailing Meryn flung about like a fish out of water kicking her legs into the air inwardly screaming and having the tantrum she was never able to throw as a child.  _What the fuck does that mean? Do you? Did you? What?!?_ Tantrum thrown she flopped back into a motionless dead-eyed state. "Goddamn it why won't he just take it for fuck's sake?" abruptly she brought her arms forward into the air questioning the cosmos. The insatiable appetite that had been brewing since she wound up down here was nearly at capacity. "Behold, 2D; the only man Meryn Katherine Jakes has ever lusted after. He's 6'2, a space cadet, awkward as shit and lovably doofy," tongue stuck out and cross-eyed, she mocked her own frustrating circumstances in the voice of a 40's announcer. Momentarily stopping she added,"She also talks to herself and desperately wants to get laid~"  
  
"Sweet Satan Ryn...," the pitying voice of the green man wandered in from the cracked metal door. Indifferent, Meryn took notice acknowledging his presence at the very least with a slight tilt of her head. "Wow, you're already talking to yourself? I knew you were always off love, but this is hard for even me to watch," mockingly Murdoc sneered rolling his eyes. "Hmph," she plainly spoke,"You say that as if you didn't put me down here." Proud of his shitty accomplishment, he drew forward kicking the duffles inside,"Hey, if not for me, you'd be the same as allllll the other birds that wanted Face-Ache. I'll take all the credit I deserve for giving you the opportunity". The bag of clothing tumbled across the room hitting the foot of the bed. "You telling me that you don't like sleeping with my front man? I mean you look way better in his drabby clothes than any of the other broads I've seen slipping out his room at night," with an eyebrow raised he eagerly waited for a lippy reply.   
  
"Trying to piss me off?" Meryn asked in a hushed tone. "It's working, but not for the reason you think," sheer unashamed desperation struck Murdoc with a solitary glance. "Oh yeah?? Hmmrph," interested he welcomed himself inside taking a seat beside her. She emitted frustration, not the kind that he hoped to bring but it was almost good enough. "Do telllll," a most suggestive lip biting look shot at her. "First and foremost," she sat up crossing her legs looking him dead in the eye,"I hate you."   
  
"That's nothing new to me, love; anything else you want to share? Uncle Murdy is open to listening," without a care in the world, Murdoc shrugged off her blatant declaration of disgust. "He won't do anything, like at all," fully frustrated, Meryn cared not who she was confiding in. Days into captivity and already it was annoying enough to make her swallow the pride that controlled the majority of her actions. Her expression changed from serious to flabbergasted, with a puppy dog pleading stare,"I mean, you're a guy. You tried to sleep with me the second I walked in Kong Studios!" Snickering, Murdoc nodded,"Rrrrright you are Ryn. And the offer is still open, just so you know." His offer went ignored; irritated she ran her fingers through the unruly locks subconsciously trying to de-tangle the intertwining spiraling of curls. "It's annoying," no longer caring she grinned playfully and yet strangely unhinged at the man. "Because you care sooooo much about my feelings Muds, I'll let you in on something~" Sarcasm and bad vibes coated her voice,"I have never wanted a man to fuck me so bad." A wildly intimidating smirk stretched wide across her face, "Is that weird?"  
  
"Not at all, love; again. Offer is still open," a bit piqued by the differences she showed, Murdoc scooted towards her, bumping against Meryn's thigh with a nudge. "Most guys don't appeal to me; I mean, take you, for example, you're weird, greasy, possibly reptilian, and an all-around dick. Not to mention an emotional terrorist, a selfish prick, a horndog--," her tangent was stopped with a raised green finger. "Okay! Okay! No need to be a bitch about it--," he was in turn interrupted by Meryn's mirroring movement as she mashed her index finger to his lips.   
  
"You deserve it and more, the only reason I haven't wrung your neck is because Cyborg Noodle is right outside the door," she warned narrowing her eyes into a piercing unrelenting stare. "Oh, so you noticed! I was hoping you'd slip up and hit me again," he retorted with a smarmy bold faced smile. "In due time," Meryn successfully de-tangled the hair that draped down her back granting him a promising nod. "Enough dawdling then, get your lazy uptight ass up and at em'. Not going to be waiting around for you, you've got an hour before we head out," lifting himself off the edge of the bed, Murdoc purposely stepped onto the duffle of interest. "And tell him the same goes for him, I don't need two girls holding us up."  
  
"You never said where were going exactly," sighing Meryn stretched her legs out over the edge jumping to her feet bouncing in place. "Just shut up and be happy for yard time away from your cell, Ryn," he shouted being no help at all heading for the door. Nothing more to say, the door slammed shut behind him; the click indicating the lock seemed louder than usual. Kneeling on the floor, she peered inside,"Good actual clothes to wear." On autopilot her brain picked out the typical casual wear of jeans and a simple shirt; then suddenly, she was taken over by a devious idea. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, Meryn dug through her everyday clothing searching for one thing in particular. At the very bottom she found what she was looking for; the few articles of clothing that covered much less than usual. Lifting the short denim skirt she couldn't help but to sheepishly grin. So far, 2D had managed to resist her but why not make things a bit more interesting and put in the actual effort to draw him in?  
  
Folding the skirt into a square, she quickly picked a fitted tee that clung to her body and a light jacket that hid none of her shapes. Altogether, the fabric was light in weight and could be easily carried balancing in the palm of her hand.  Again the water stopped in the bathroom, marking her turn to shower. "Hey Kat?! Had a lil bit of an accident so...uh watch yer step...Careful not to fall annnd uh--," 2D called from behind the door with last-minute attempts to hide the damage done. "Kay, it's fine; just hurry if you can, I've got a little work to do," slightly shameful of her undisguised teasing she stood up running a hand through her hair. "I think I'll leave it wavy today...," she mumbled fetching underwear that matched in the bag near the bathroom door. _If this doesn't work, I'm going to bash my head into the nearest wall._

* * *

  
Waiting quietly for her return, 2D strummed along on the banjo she'd given him. A persistent smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. He had completely forgotten she promised to replace the one she destroyed years ago. Humming a smooth key, he let his head lean back on the frame of the bed. At the pang of an abrupt head pain, he winced hissing through the song he was creating. "Ah--Fuckin' hell!" springing forward, he placed the instrument as gently as possible beside him letting his hands give their full attention to holding the pulsating veins at his temples. Teeth clenched, he waited out the horrid wave of pain finally unscrunching his face once the sensation let up. The door behind him creaked open; bare legs walked past warranting a double take and immediate studying of their extensive details. Whether he wanted to or not, his inner man told him to take it all in. Before he could rethink this move it was too late. A hot flash echoed from his torso to the end of all his limbs. Blank-faced, he blatantly stared trying to process what she chose to wear. Every single thing was clinging to the curves he already knew existed but more so, accenting them with a staggering difference to what she would normally wear.  
  
Contrary to her usual style, which was similar to his own; she had decided to make this as hard as possible for him. In more ways than one. Gulping, black eyes twinkled in pure interest at what he had a shadowed view of underneath her skirt. Without his knowing, he leaned forward peering under to satisfy his curiosity. "Frilly...," he murmured noting the kind of underwear she was sporting. "Hm?," Meryn turned around her eyes shifting back and forth as if she planned this out from the start. "N-Nuthin," unable to stop himself from looking her up and down he cleared his throat,"Yew look um nioce..." Hair in the style that he liked most, he giggled shyly wondering if she had left it that way for him. "You think so?" gulping away the forming lump she shakily tried to remain cool and collected.   
  
"Absolutely," eyes dipping from her hair to her lips, 2D stuttered squeezing his eyes shut,"Y-Yew uh--Yeah! Heh!" This was bad if Murdoc had arranged for the cheapest of options for their overnight stay; he knew without a doubt that sleeping with her would no longer be a literal thing, and instead transition to not sleeping at all. "Uhm, did yew pack some extra cloves f'tha trip? Yew might be cold!" teeth chattering a tad, he reopened his eyes instantly wrenching his sight elsewhere.   
  
"Nah, it's pretty much summer now, but yeah I have other things; shorts and skirts, you know, light wear," feigning innocence, Meryn blinked fluttering her lashes. The only thing that gave away her intentions was the protruding purse of her lips and the clear flushing of blood on her toasty cheeks. Inwardly, 2D swore faking a wide accepting smile. The metal door to freedom flung open revealing Murdoc ready as ever and dressed for the occasion in his grungy naval gear,"Alright let's get a move on kiddies." For a split second, he chuckled eyeing the two of them; Meryn shamefully averting eye contact as he knew well what her aim was, and the panicked fidgeting of 2D with a doe-eyed stare of rising tension. Cyborg Noodle's head tilted not grasping the reason for the silly looks everyone exchanged, quietly she tugged at Murdoc's shirt awaiting an order.  
  
"We're being taken in by the heli today, thank your lucky stars it'll make the ride somewhat quick--You--," pointed directly at 2D with a jagged nail, Murdoc got his attention. Startled he seemed to wake up from the sinful daze he was entranced with. "I better not hear any complaining once we land; the beginning of a new album is upon us, and it starts as soon as we land. We're going to outdo the excellence of ourselves and rise Gorillaz from the dead! Got a bunch of collaborators in mind, and if either of you fucks it up there will be no more field trips. Got it?," Murdoc barked turning on his heel into the cramped elevator hall. Cyborg Noodle sharped her stare, bits of darkened green glass eyes piercing into them from behind bangs. Lowering his head, 2D nodded in surrender dragging his feet after them. His low posture and hunched forward stature were exaggerated; arms hung low past his knees swaying from side to side with each pained step taken. Brow furrowing, Meryn held her tongue practically biting down the urge to come to his defense. Annoyed she trudged behind him hiding the sour expression behind his stature.  
  
In the elevator, the four of them crowded in in silence. Taken from the bottom floor to the very top, 2D winced his brow twitching at the adjustment of depth. The first time above water in a long time, he wavered; long legs shaking and colliding at the knees. Holding his head he trembled, the painkillers Meryn had given him were a slight help but nothing compared to prescription grade medication. Leaning forward, she peered under catching his shaded eyes; concern heavy on her features he did his best to alleviate her worries. Pointing to his head, 2D made a reassuring face; there was no use in her worrying, he knew his chronic head pains well and no matter of anyone worrying about him would lessen it. With a smile, he wagged a finger,"Don' worry Kat."  
  
Meryn swooned, whenever he said something would be alright she wanted nothing more than to put all of her hopes on him. Slowly she nodded, bobbing her head trying to convince herself that this time would be the same. Still, she had her doubts watching the way he weakily stepped out of the elevator and into the sunlight. The light was blinding having seen nothing but the dimmed lighting of the underwater bunker the two of them had gradually gotten used to. Everything went white, able to see painful images of the forms surrounding her she blinked her vision back to normal. From white to orange, and then returning to a almost normal sight, Meryn followed behind 2D stumbling against his back accidentally. Awkwardly she stopped in her tracks, letting him walk ahead not wanting to make the headaches worse somehow. After a few seconds, she started up again; the sun being blocked out by the same imposing stature she bumped into in the first place. Jumping back in surprise she hadn't expected him to wait; hands casually in his pockets and tension built up on his forehead, 2D still managed to retain the demeanor of a sweetheart.   
  
"Got no time t'be cute Kat!," amused he shook his head, an arm reached out gently grasping her wrist guiding Meryn along to the helicopter. Wide-eyed she trailed after him, led as if she might get lost on the way. Heart throbbing in her chest, she forgot how to breathe for a moment. The same hand that guided her assisted in her stepping inside; at the high step he pushed her forward by the hips staring off at the sight of the horizon. Entranced by the fresh air and endless blue, he was able to consciously avoid the easy sight of pink frilly lace that went noticed in a passing glance. Azure hair blew in the ocean breeze; a dreamy view that any girl could and stare in awe at. Calm dark eyes became full of shock at a shove from behind. Rolling his eyes, Murdoc sent 2D barreling forward onto the floor of the helicopter.  
  
"Take your own advice and hurry the fuck up," impatient Murdoc slammed the door shut. "Yew din't hafta do tha'...," he complained lifting himself off the floor. Quietly Meryn patted the seat beside her, as kind as the act was her face said something completely different. Brow raised and a serious look on her face, her eyes flickered from Murdoc settling himself in at the cockpit. " _I can hurt him you know_ ," she mouthed eager to be able to do something against this type of treatment. Snorting, 2D shook his head. Mouthing back he settled in beside her,"Be noice, love."

* * *

  
In the hours it took to see anything but a shade of blue, Meryn had fallen asleep; head tilted she nodded off back and forth until she finally landed on 2D's shoulder. Groggy he had been dosing off himself, but he sprung back to life once her skin came in contact with his own. Sitting up straight, he rubbed at his blackened eyes smacking his lips at the bland taste in his mouth. In the corner of his eye, the best view imaginable was staring at him. Beyond the innocence of her sleeping form, was the provocative sight of looming cleavage. The vibration at the beating of the blades just added to the theatrics causing a consistent jiggle in the cut of her shirt. "Ughhh," groaning 2D covered his mouth willing himself to shut up and simply enjoy the view. Still, it didn't feel right; feeling guilty the pangs and ringing on his head increased tenfold.   
  
Landing, the entire helicopter shifted; Meryn woke up instantly somewhat dazed, the fringe tucked away behind her ear fell forward draping over her puffy eyes. "Alright, everyone out," Murdoc shouted kicking the front door open; the passenger area slid open with the loudest clang sending the pain shooting along every neuron in 2D's brain. Despite the clear discomfort on his face, Murdoc paid no mind grabbing the man like a child and forcing him out of the helicopter. Stumbling about, he huffed catching his balance,"Wha' yew keep doin' tha' for?!"   
  
Heavy green hands pounded against his back in response, sending 2D's torso hunching forward into an uncomfortable defensive stance each time,"Shut your face and get moving!"   
  
"A-Aaugh OL'RIGHT OL'RIGHT I'm goin'! Stahp--," on another heavy-handed slap against his back, 2D coughed hacking trying to catch his breath. The process continued on like this; him being hit and pushed around until eventually, 2D trudged off with the sense of urgency that Murdoc demanded. From inside in her seat, Meryn had had just about enough of watching mistreatment unfold. Top lip snarling into a disgruntled gapped frown, she undid the fastening of the seat belts. The glass eyes of the Cyborg had stayed on Meryn the entire ride; blowing the hair out of her face she rolled her eyes taking a step out of the cockpit. "Woah it's cooler than I thought it'd be for April...," Meryn shuddered with a chill traveling up her spine. Over her shoulder she couldn't help but check one more time to see if she was still being stared down; it was no surprise at all, that the menacing stares continued.   
  
"Hm," she hummed. As unsettling as it was seeing Noodle's face looking at her like that, Meryn wondered; if by some miracle, this one retained any inkling of who she was and their friendship prior. Turning to face the look alike, she examined every perfect detail that mirrored the image and physicality of Noodle. "Hey," waving her hand she beckoned the Cyborg from where she was sat immobile in the cockpit. Slight interest flashed, softening the otherwise terrifying glare. It reminded her of the mischievous antics that the young girl would take part in and the laughter of whenever the small Japanese girl would randomly find ways of getting in her old room back at Kong. "Do you still know me?" asking hesitantly she didn't expect an answer; but still, she took solace in trying. All that was returned was a blank if not perplexed tilting of the cyborgs head. Mouth ajar for some reason, the fake lips twitched almost as if she wanted to speak. Suddenly they closed; the cyborg seemed uncomfortable, its wavered unsure movements near that of human appearance. A tinge of sadness flashed forward for just a second before easing up to the blank robotic stare of when they first met.   
  
_Maybe._  
  
  
In sudden disinterest, Cyborg Noodle turned away, letting herself out of the cockpit. As soon as the door opened, it closed. Stalking off to God knows where. The only person still around, Meryn realized she had no idea where she was, where to go, or what she was supposed to be doing. Head swinging from side to side she started off in the direction of where 2D and Murdoc disappeared to. Only then did she take in the sights of the seaside city-scape that panned out from the roof of the bright white building she stood on. The single door on the rooftop was the only plausible place the two of them could have gone off to.   
  
Slipping inside the air conditioning was on full blast. In hindsight, perhaps 2D was right; maybe she should've brought something warmer. Trekking the unfamiliar piercing white halls there was nothing but silence from every corner of the building it seemed. Back against the wall, she waited trying to listen for any sign that someone was nearby. _Where the hell are we anyway? Did Murdoc rent a space in this random building?_ At long last, a glimpse of a person passed by at least letting her know she wasn't the only one around. The person took a couple steps backward peering down the hall at Meryn. A thin girl not wearing much more clothes than herself, she skipped over,"Estas aqui para la sesion de fotos?"  
  
"Uhhhh," as awkward and graceless ever, Meryn dopily smiled,"No habla espanol?"   
  
"Oh!," the frail girl snickered rolling her eyes in the back of her head,"This is fine. I speak English O.K.!  Who are you with?" Laughing off the slight embarrassment she brought herself to answer,"Gorillaz. The band? Blue haired guy and smelly green-skinned man?" Nodding she sneered,"You know about the after party later right? Murdoc? I think his name was, he hired us, girls, to entertain him after he finished up here. We're dressed the same so I thought you were one of us."  
  
"Oh...I see," averting her gaze, Meryn felt a sudden flash of shame. Trying hard for the attention of a man was something she didn't stoop to often but it seemed for 2D she was would gladly embarrass herself or act out for the sake of appealing to him when he'd made no attempt of doing anything with her at all. "If you're looking for those two boys they're in a room a floor down from here at the end of the hall," sensing an inner quarrel, the girl dismissed herself with a kittenish smile. "Oh, but you should go! Lots of American tourists have been hyped up for it the last couple days--If you do, you can give me the contact info for your surgeon, he did a great job~," turning the corner back to wherever she was headed, she winked squeezing her nonexistent chest. Nothing to say, Meryn nodded as politely as possible waiting until the girl had left to drop the forced smile. Trudging against the wall she followed the general direction she was advised to go in.  At the stairs, she continued the self-loathing dragging along the wall until she came to the door of interest at the end of the hall. Nothing heard but faint speaking, Meryn peered into the little window on the door.  For a while nothing could be seen inside other than an empty looking room; before long a blur of blue hair in a swiping motion briefly surfaced just before disappearing again. _What?_ Not understanding what she saw, Meryn took a step back. Standing along the side of the door didn't seem safe somehow; the way she came had a little bench around the corner which she found herself gravitating towards.  
  
"AaaooOHH STAHP IT!"  
  
The door flew open slamming into the wall; the loud thwack of the door cracking from an impressive force was instantly drowned out in the roar of death metal and random sound effects at full volume. 2D stammered out into the hall holding his head, wheezing through his teeth. Unsure movements became fueled with confident sprinting down the adjacent hall. "Come back when you pull your head out your ass!" came spat from inside the room barely audible in the midst of every noise imaginable colliding together at the same time. Thankfully a green hand pulled the door shut, muting everything within its soundproof walls. Everything silent again, Meryn's feet took her back down the hall following after a very distressed 2D. Thoroughly listening to all the doors that lined the identical hall, she eventually found who she was looking for. A light huffing sound came from what appeared to be a single stall restroom.   
  
A shaky hand pushed the swiveling door inward. Her entrance went undetected by him as she quietly slid inside. Over the sound of his hissing, nothing would be. "Gawddamn bloody fuckin' geriatric boozer--," his incessant mumbling went on and on, back turned he stood in the corner of the smallish bathroom with his head against the wall. Contemplating the ongoing sexual frustration that occurred whenever the two of them were alone, Meryn bit down on her bottom lip. A fire sparked within, boiling blood coursed through her veins; lip quivering she narrowed her eyes, the arm at her side lifted locking the door at her back. It took forcing herself to be bold to bring a foot forward.  
  
"--Wha'oh?" 2D noticed a foot away, quickly spinning around the look on his face wasn't a good one. Beyond irritated his entire face looked as if it might implode in rage alone; recognizing who it was, the expression melted away reverting almost all the way back to his usual easygoing state. "Oh it's yew Kat, how'd yew wind up--," his question was interrupted by the unannounced grabbing of his hand. 2D stuttered caught off guard but wasn't particularly complaining and felt no need to pull away. Starting to speak again, Meryn turned for the lone stall pulling him along in with her. Closing the door, she suddenly became insecure in her actions. Downcast, she could see his shoes standing in near the corner furthest from the toilet. Slowly she approached feeling the tension of his stare burning a hole through her chest; unable to look him in the eyes she leaned forward resting her head against his chest dejected and flaming with an overwhelming amount of lust. 2D stiffened blinking in confusion, frozen in place with no clue of what happening. But the continued silence brought curiosity making him loosen up begging for an answer,"Uhm...Meryn?" He stopped short wincing in pain, massaging his temples. Against his shirt, she tilted her head, from this angle the sight of his jeans were all she could focus on. Her hands moved on their own; index finger pulling at one of the belt loops that she found enticing, the others bravely grazed over the lining of his boxers. Completely stupefied, 2D eyes went wide feeling her shaky hands undo the zipper of his jeans; his head darted downward to search what the hell look she wore on her face, but as it were her eyes were glued below. Eager curious fingers trailed into his nether regions. As she did, she felt a growing protrusion bump against her open palm.  
  
It felt like her heart would explode in her chest but at this point, Meryn didn't care. Overcome by her desires and the growing one that greeted her, she wrapped her fingers around his length freeing him from the boxers that tented around him. The hand that glided along, closed over the tip. Lightly she stroked away, 2D's head slowly lowered into the crook of her neck breathing in deeply the entrancingly sweet scent in her hair, his lips parted in bliss. Twitching in her grasp the faster she went the more he couldn't stop himself from thrusting forward. Mesmerized she watched him thrust in and out of her hand curving her wrist round on every push forward. 2D clenched his teeth moaning against her neck a low hum vibrating against her jugular; panting he shuddered at every curve of Meryn's wrist. In moments the pace quickened; the combined thrusting forward to meet the increased tugging of his cock. He sucked in a gulp of air at sudden release of her hold raising his head not wanting it to stop. Before he could complain, he was quieted at the second she dropped to her knees. Every twinge of pain in his head faded away in a matter of a few seconds. Black eyes wide open and dumbfounded he witnessed what he never thought he'd see. Although her eyes were blank, there was a slight twinkle as he watched himself disappear into Meryn's mouth. It happened so fast it could be played backward and every little frame would contain the essence of a depraved and eager to please version of the Meryn he once knew.  
  
This one was mind-boggling.  
  
The warm tongue that darted out beckoned him deeper to fully indulge in sin. Way in the back of her throat the walls closed in on him; 2D's eyes squeezed shut and his head flew backward. Grazing against her uvula, Meryn gagged a little granting him with a delightfully pornographic mewl. All around her tongue lapped and sucked taking the full length that couldn't help but thrust forward in encouragement. The base of his cock pillowed by the soft plump lips that welcomed his entry, being pulled back and forth in a slow longing bob. As good as it all felt, she was unreadable; his hands twitched and flexed at his sides needing something to hold before he lost himself too early. Thinking impossible for him at this point, 2D fully gave in staring down to the lewd display with narrowing eyes, running fond fingers through her hair and grasping the underside of her jaw. Momentary surprise struck widening her eyes to the first emotion he'd seen of her the entire time. Both shy and wild at the same time; she reacted in surprise everytime he took control of her. The glint in her eyes became dazed, small tears forming in the corners she looked up at him caught dead in his unavoidable stare. Blinking she looked so innocent despite the current location of his manhood. She swallowed needing to breathe but refused until she got exactly what she wanted.  
  
Despite how beautiful a feeling she was giving him, he was as thoughtful as always. 2D clenched his imperfect teeth starting to remove himself from her beckoning mouth to grant Meryn a proper breath of air; however, she wouldn't allow it. Determination and desperation controlled the changing intensity. Overtaken she swirled her tongue around the entire measurement, suckling and closing him in between her flattened tongue and the roof of her mouth. Backward and forwards she pushed and pulled; seeing herself reflected in the black marble stare that couldn't look away. Between the gaps of his teeth, he sharply breathed in hissing a moan; panting returned as he further lost himself in her mouth. "Mmmh--Yer--Gonna make me cum," his pretty-boy lashes fluttered dreamily on an entirely different planet with a low hum gnawing at his trembling bottom lip.  
  
Opening her mouth his cock momentarily bounced free from her sweet grip on her bottom lip and back into the precum that pooled on her tongue. "Gawd...", he shuddered and gulped seeing his tip rest against the flat silky surface of her tongue. A soft hand placed on 2D's thigh, her fingers gripped around his girth as she jitterily uttered a reply,"I know." His brow twitched taken aback by the lewd sparkling in her eyes. She was enamored with sin in her eyes, unapologetic and shamelessly watching the array of priceless looks on his face. Tongue dripping with his precum stuck out playfully and wrapping around every inch of his throbbing cock. Fingers gripping at his thigh she plunged the entirety of him back inside, relentlessly bobbing along. The residue trailed down her lips pooling at the corners of her mouth. Her throat opened up and he lost his mind as it suddenly clamped down around the head of his extension.   
  
"Mm-Aah-Tha' feels so fuckin' gud," his tone low and sultry hitched as he glided along the roof of her mouth. A look of surprise flashed in his dark eyes and his head flew back to the wall, the built-up pressure proving to be too much. Both hands playing in her hair, 2D clenched his jaw choking out a warning,"GOnna cUHM--" That was all that she needed to hear. The hand at his thigh left, attending to jerk out the reward of her efforts. He gasped, again and again, watching the skillful hand glide along his cock and stroke him until he peaked. Rapidly jerking away Meryn stuck out her tongue to receive. 2D shuddered clenching his eyes shut on release as everything he held in the past week since her arrival came overflowing into the back of her throat in spurts. Globs of white spattered along her tongue spilling from the very tip into the valley of her breasts. "AGh f-fffuuuucck," his entire body felt it, quaking within he tensed up against the wall. Following the initial blow, he reopened his eyes urgently jerking his attention back down to her; love in his eyes, his hand frantically grasped her chin, gliding his extended index finger along the rim of her lower lip and watching as semen accumulated at her teeth. She closed her eyes and dove forward plunging his length back in between her addicting mouth. "Mmh fuck yeah", 2D's head flew back in absolute delight and came forward again panting with heavy-lidded eyes. The grip on her chin moved with her, bobbing Meryn back and forth while her sucking made 2D melt in her mouth. She gagged on the wad, coughed, and drew back with puffy eyes decidedly slow stroking the flushed red protrusion to completion. Cumming the final waves his body jerked forward into the soft palm of her hand, giving every additional drop until there was nothing left. "Wicked gud...", he murmured and sighed, combing fingers through her hair and caressing Meryn's jawline. Bit by bit his breathing returned to normal and as did his conscience. The enlightenment that came with Meryn's random act receded to the previous thing he could remember thinking about.   
  
"K-Kat? Yew O.K.?", he blinked down at her stuttering as he caught his breath and clearing his throat, but there was no correct way to ask. Her lids lowered made it difficult to try and read her expression. No response, Meryn swallowed licking the corners and rim of her lips for any remaining trace. Already spent, his cock twitched seeing that she was both eager and hungry for more; his head shook furrowing his brows, willing himself to focus on what was important. Fidgeting in place, his hands left her tucking himself away back into the confines of his briefs and promptly zipping the fly of his jeans. Hesitant, he extended a hand wanting to help her to her feet; but too in her head she barely noticed. Thinking of the last time she behaved in such a manner and coming up empty she felt the rush of shame. Inside a storm was brewing in the likes of which Meryn had never experienced.  
  
But at least she had gotten what she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A erm similar chapter will follow soon.


	28. The Chase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so lewd. :3 Enjoy!~

"Uh...hey're yew--," concern interrupted by the sudden intense knocking at the bathroom door. Even within the barrier of the stall, 2D felt vulnerable. His entire stature lurched by the disturbance he'd never quite gotten used to. "I said get your shit together, not vacation in the bathroom for the rest of the bloody day," even muffled the harsh condescending tone from Murdoc was good enough to make him waver. Back and forth his head jerked looking anxiously in the direction of the door and back to Meryn who had been silent for far too long. At the last moment, he made his decision scrambling to open the stall door; the simple lock that a 5-year-old could unlock was all of a sudden the most complex task with the nonstop jittering of his hands. For someone who masterfully played several instruments, it was most undesired when it happened. Frustrated, 2D jerked at the lock finally sliding it open and pushing the door open just as the door to the bathroom was kicked in.   
  
Shards of wood went flying, scattering across the tiled bathroom floor. The dust from the impact cleared, revealing the steady outward leg of an android that had torn through the middle of the door like rice paper. Quickly it was removed and replaced by its arm reaching inside to unlock the notch. With a click, it opened and with a vengeance, Murdoc stormed in. In the span of it all, 2D had ducked down automatically defending himself from a possible blow; in the corner of his eye, he saw Meryn had moved out of plain sight and leaned against the wall near the toilet. Partially glad he wouldn't have to explain himself or listen to the teasing that would follow, he started to smile. The moment he did, however, a green open hand slapped him square in the mouth. Wincing, 2D stumbled backward almost backing into the wall; the same abusive hand that struck him grasped his shirt collar whip-lashing his consciousness forward.  
  
"You," Murdoc bumped foreheads with the man he'd basically thrown around,"Back to the studio. Now." Again; 2D got a glimpse of Meryn, still immobile she was deep in thought holding her hands for security. Solid brows rose out of concern as he was yanked out of the bathroom by his collar; hooting and hollering at the force exerted that cut off his air flow. From Meryn's perspective, there was noise, wailing, and the hissing of being half strangled being dragged out of the bathroom and back to work. But it was just that, noise. It barely made a dent in the matters in which she currently cared about; lifting her arm, her fingers began to tremble dragging across her lips. The taste of sperm was just as unpleasant as the only other time it happened. The distinct differences were key here; Meryn knew well that the former experience wasn't fun or fair in the slightest, and the newest was completely her doing. Even still; swallowing the traces of the bitter secretion she cringed. Even though it was what she wanted.  
  
The desire to please out did her prejudice of performing the act of oral sex on a man; a heap of confused and distressed feelings bubbled over inside. Teary-eyed, she thought it pathetic that she had no idea what she wanted. All that she did know, was that she had made a whore of herself. She could have done literally anything else, but she chose the most daring and shocking action to take. Obviously being with him had rekindled emotions that took an extreme route due to her lack of patience or knowing herself. Numb; she lifted herself off the stall wall, hand gliding into her bag, she slid out the glasses she brought along no longer caring about looking her absolute best and placed them where they belonged to her face. In disgust, a frown pulled at the blank expression she was working hard to maintain.  
  
Thinking way too hard, she eventually left the bathroom stalking past the mirror to keep from seeing herself. Two feet situated at the door were acknowledged as Noodle's but ignored. Meryn kept her eyes down on the floor walking off to nowhere in particular; on the way towards the brightened daylight shining from the end of the busiest hall in the building she was briefly stopped.   
  
"Oh hey it's you again," the chipper voice from earlier spoke,"If you were seriously considering going tonight, here's the address!" A small folded up piece of paper in the palm of the girl's hand slid into Meryn's line of sight. After an awkward pause, she accepted it with a half-assed nod," Thanks, see you tonight."

* * *

  
The entire session, 2D nodded along having no idea what he was agreeing to. Here with one of the soon to be Gorillaz collaborators and the forceful bassist/founder he gathered the fastest way out was to just agree with everything and speak only when spoken to. It was going smoothly compared to when he made the mistake of sharing his opinion on where he'd like to take the musical direction and how it ended with being kicked out. But at least one positive came out of it. In the hours that passed, he had plenty of time to think about what happened in the bathroom. The boldness in Meryn's actions played over and over like a movie in his head. Quietly tapping his finger against the rounded table he began to doodle, drawing imaginary lines with the pad of his index finger. What started out as drawing pictures of whales and writing his name, turned into writing Meryn's name instead.  
  
Unannounced the back of his head was smacked slamming his face into the table. "Sooo sorry about my good buddy 2D here, he's not all there in the head," Murdoc rolled his eyes setting his palm flat on the table. Leaning forward he whispered just past the suffocating man face-down on the table to the group of men he was forming an agreement with. Arms flailing 2D struggled to breathe eventually he was let go. Gasping for air he resurfaced shooting a hateful grimace back to Murdoc.  
  
"2D's going to take a break for the rest of the day since the sod can't be bothered to pay attention; isn't that right 2D?," gauging him for a reaction, Murdoc rubbed the blue hair atop his throbbing head mashing down threateningly. "Y-Yeah, tomorrow...," humiliated he pouted standing up and removing himself from the equation. Half a step out the door, Murdoc nudged at his arm,"Don't get any ideas about running off. You've got two choices; check in to the hotel and stay put, orrrrr go out to the little shindig I put together for awhile, get that little trouser snake the action you've been holding out on and take your bony ass back to the hotel. Same goes for Ryn. I've got eyes all over this city, don't make me don't make me go looking for you." Stern in expression, Murdoc shoved 2D back into the hall slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Hn," he rubbed the back of his head; reaching into his pocket he restyled the spikes that were mashed down moments ago with his flick-comb. At random and mid-stroke the door reopened and closed; a piece of paper thrown at him floated down the to the floor skittering at the soles of his shoes. With a sigh, he knelt down reading the address hastily written in pen. Curious of Meryn's whereabouts, 2D found himself walking back to the last place he saw her. The door and wooden pieces on the ground were in the same spots, stepping over them he peered into the single stall, but of course, she was gone. Groaning, he sauntered back into the hall,"Great."  
  
If either of them had their phones it would be simple to contact her, but here in their circumstances they truly had to stick together if they wanted to know where either was. Back at the helicopter, he scooped up the little bag he brought noticing that Meryn had left her's as well. Lukewarm on the little game she seemed to be playing, 2D threw his head back sighing in a stupor,"If she's not been back 'ere then where wuld she 'ave gone?" Thinking ahead, he went ahead and grabbed her belongings as well. When he did eventually find her, it would save them the time of having to come all the way back to retrieve them. Spacing out, he tossed both bags over his shoulder. The loud sudden sound of honking from the street struck him with surprise. Inquisitively 2D found himself jogging to peer over the edge at the small black car that waited out in the front of the building. A small hand waved from the driver side of the window up at him a tad bit impatient. "Must've called a cab or somefink...,"2D said to himself. An uncertain arm reached out acknowledging his chance at a ride to the cheap hotel Murdoc picked. Long legs glided back downstairs from the roof getting lost in the many repeating hallways once or twice before he finally reached the exit. Back into the light of day he burst out from the doors worried the man would leave and have him walk around until he found it himself. Swinging the car door open, he panted placing his hands on his knees,"F-Fanks f'waitin' I woz olllll' tha' way up--." The unamused look the cab driver wore diminished the desire to explain himself. "N-Nevermind," into the car in one jerky motion, 2D slammed the door shut,"Uh 'ave yew picked up anyone else? Loike a gerl maybe?" If nothing else, maybe this random cab driver had the answer he was searching for.  
  
"No."  
  
"O-Oh...Kay then," he weakly replied slumping against the seat, his long legs folded in the small backseat. Leaning on his knees, he frowned looking at the little piece of papers address once more. One brow rose trying to guess Meryn's behavior. "Hmmmm," grazing his fingers over his chin, 2D smirked complacent of the idea that popped into his head. If she wasn't at the hotel, then she had probably gone off to this gathering. Face falling, he realized how far-fetched either of those possibilities were; for all he knew, Meryn was lost in the outskirts of Santiago. Palming his cheek, 2D groaned,"Either way, s'not sittin' well wiff me tha' she culd jus do wot she did and then walk off loike it din't happen..."  
  
In the rearview mirror, the pondering eyes of the driver flashed back at him, "Are you talking to yourself?" In his head, 2D heard nothing but his own prying thoughts; like how she'd basically used him like a piece of meat,"Tch, din't even take me out f'dinner or nuthin'. Jus wan's me nads I reckon..." The more he thought about it, the more he had no clue where things had gone wrong. His mouth wound up tight into a scowl,"This's why I wanted to do it proper--I honestly don' kno wha tha bloody hell she was finkin'. I really don'!"  
  
"Uh...Sir?"  
  
He fell silent narrowing his eyes as his view went out the window at the passing buildings and people puckering his lips out into a prominent pout. Seriousness in the abyss of his sunken in eyes, 2D rambled on with a plan surfacing, "Soon as I get there, I'll take a look 'round..."

* * *

The sky darkened at the setting sun. The first time out in a long time, it was somehow nice to see night sky once again. Through the window of whoever's studio apartment and beyond the crowding party-goers that swarmed in every direction she turned, the moon looked nice at least giving Meryn a slight solace. The get-together or 'shindig' as Murdoc called it had started not too long ago and she was already shamefully drunk. The actions of a depraved and sad little girl deserved a shallow and cliche follow up. _May as well enjoy it._ Taking a swig of Jack Daniel's she winced, gagging at the burning sensation that passed over her tongue. Face scrunched, she brought herself to swallow taking this moment to recall the same unpleasant feeling that came with the whorish act she committed to some hours ago. Of the two times she had done it, this was, of course, eons better than the first time it had happened. Furrowing her brows she clenched the fist hanging by her side. It all reminded her of _him_ , and the downward spiral that followed immediately after. The many men she'd thrown herself at, all to erase the alien feeling inside. Trembling, she placed her hand to her womb pressing against the defiled insides.  
  
From across the room, she could feel the eyes of someone burning a hole through her. Sure enough, 2D leaned against the far wall watching her closely. Like a coward, Meryn turned away; looking at him now made difficult by her own twisted actions. What she had succumbed to had no doubt changed the entire dynamic of their relationship, whatever it was. Still not understanding what made her do it, she wracked her sozzled brain for an answer. Laying beside him for the past week in captivity has spawned unrelenting ideas. On the rare occasion that she wake up before him, Meryn would pretend not to notice the erection protruding from his pants. When he noticed he became embarrassed and apologized, in the same way, every single time. Sorry for if it 'grazed' against her and stating the fact that he is a man.  
  
"Tch," she sucked her teeth just thinking about it. Meryn knew damn well 2D was a man. A man she'd known she had strong feelings for but never this strong. The man she longed would remind her of his masculinity in an...different way. Heart thumping harder in her chest, she pushed away the ideas.  

 

 _Getting riled up again._  
  
  
  
Watching the girl fidget where she stood, 2D continuously drew a blank whenever he attempted to fathom why on earth she'd avoid him, especially after she coaxed him into surrendering until he orgasmed. Frustrated, both wide brows scrunched, his mouth twisting into a crooked glower. Unsure of how to go about this he followed suit turning away. The light of the dimmed lamps bounced off the many liquor bottles lined up on the bar to his right caught his eye. Puffing out an air of annoyance he reached into his back pocket pulling out a fresh carton of cigarettes he scored before coming. Numerous party-goers noticed who he was; fangirls flocking to him roamed their hands over his chest and torso yearning for his attention. Gently, 2D brushed their hands away trying his best to be polite,"Sowwy gerls, not really in tha mood rioght now." Offering a kind smile he squeezed through the small gaps of girls to be alone. Normally he'd go along with it; at one point it was the best part of attending one of Murdoc's sleazy parties, but as of now, there was only one person he was interested in pursuing. And right now, she was pissing him off. Meryn had never outright angered him before, and it showed that 2D had no idea how to deal with it. With her.  
  
Pushing past the crowd, he wound up outside on the patio. Couples seated practically on top of each other remained wrapped up in each other at his appearance. "Phew," he sighed not wanting to deal with more people. The only reason he was here was because of her after all. Lighting the cigarette he took in a long drag, holding the tobacco in his lungs content with at long last having a smoke. On his exhale he leaned against the iron bars of the patio. With another drag, he tilted his head back taking in the moonlight that he missed out on for two weeks. The moon shone brightly, nearly full on this warm night. Smoke left his lips dissipating into the dark sky. Exhaustion hit, deeply breathing in he exhaled again with a drawn-out sigh and groan. Head hung he tapped the ashes on the railing aimlessly.   
  
"Donno' why I followed 'er 'ere," 2D mumbled to himself placing the lit cigarette back between his lips. Eyes glanced back into the dimly lit party; squinting he spotted Meryn sitting on a couch against the wall by herself. Every so often she shifted tugging at her skirt to prevent it from hiking any higher. A cloud of smoke blew out between the gaps of his teeth enamored with watching her. His jaw dropped a bit when she was joined on both sides by two men who lowered themselves next to her as if they knew her personally.   
  
"Who tha hell're they?" he spoke aloud not noticing that he had been noticed by practically everyone once he broke the silence of that came with people being joined at the mouth in a condensed area. Scattered "oohs" and "ahhs" went by unnoticed as well by the bothered lead singer. Dispirited he looked off ignorant to the random people reacting around him. "Um?" a voice inquired from in front of him. 2D's eyes shot forward seeing no one until he tilted his head downward. A shy brunette girl standing before him and the circle of admiring women surrounded him. Serious eyes fixed on the young woman in question. "You're 2D...right?" she asked giggling.  
  
"Oh. Um. Yeah," as plainly as he answered, she and the other girls swooned. "Can we take a picture with you??," a neighboring girl shouted swaying her hips. Shrugging, 2D went along with it. If she was going to have fun then so would he, "Awright then let's kick it!"  
  
Inside the crowd seemed rather restless for some reason and more energized than before.  Meryn pushed herself up from the couch apologizing to the random men who'd sat beside her offering drinks and shirking off her many declines. A group of people shoved past, knocking against her arm in a cluttered chatter of varying hoots and kiss-ups. She didn't have to look to know what they were flocking to but sure enough, once again, it was 2D; outside towering over a crowd of drunk or high women. "Yep," Meryn laughed watching him try to attend to all his fans. The room was quieter now that the majority of people swarmed at the patio doors. A random, she reached out behind the counter of the bar helping herself to the selection of alcohol. "Whiskey?" _Maybe._ "Vodka?" _Noooo._ Gin? She gagged just thinking about it. Spinning around one of the skinnier bottles, she decided,"Vanilla Schnapps will do." Although ashamed of this indulgence she gulped away at the mouth of the bottle pushing past the taste if it meant not being in her head any longer. On her own, she half emptied the bottle shivering at the burning feeling going down her throat. An immediate heat pumped through her veins. Eyes fleeting away from 2D and his admirers she giggled to herself finding her never-ending list of problems funny. Gliding onto the bar stool she sipped at the remaining half as the feelings of self-hatred drifted away into nothingness.  
  
  
  
"Awright, las' one!" 2D put on his best smile. The camera snapped and he immediately sidestepped away shrugging off the girls still adamant on clinging to him. In the midst of warding off intoxicated fans, she disappeared from her previous location. Worried, he walked back into the room scanning the area for her familiar silhouette. One person fit the description and wearing the same clothes it had to be her! Barreling forward, he tapped at the shoulder of the tall girl," Kat?"  
  
"Hm?" the girl turned around. Long hair, same height...well in heels. Short skirt. Fitted top. "Blue eyes," he trailed off disappointed. Wrong girl. The girl in question took notice as to who she had the pleasure of speaking. Gasping she shrieked,"You're from Gorillaz right?!" Another groupie wasn't what he hoped to find, but growing tired of the chase, 2D had given up for now. Before long, shots were being passed around in his honor. Shrugging he forced a smile,"May as well 'ave a liddle fun wiff it." He rose the glass into the air, taking back 1,2,3,4...8 shots of vodka. "Blech!," tongue jutting from his mouth he complained,"Ugh tha woz 'orrible! Uh--Does anyone haff anyfing sweeter?!" Every single female in his vicinity cooed.   
  
"Awww!"  
  
"Do you have a girlfriend?"  
  
"Someone pour him a drink!"  
  
"You're real name is Stu right?--"  
  
"I have some schnapps!"  
  
Feeling a bit out of it, 2D wavered and pointed in the general direction of the claim,"Wha' kind is iht?" The skimpily dressed girl he called on took pride in such an honor,"It's peppermint; we had vanilla but someone seems to have taken it."  
  
  
"What happened to it?"  
  
"I don't know it was here like 10 minutes ago!"  
  
"Who cares! If one of us is lucky, maybe he'll take us back to his hotel!~"  
  
2D could hear the chorus of girls talking over each other after every solitary sentence or thing he said. But he wasn't paying attention to what it was they were saying. His head was reeling again, it didn't matter what at this point, anything would do,"Peppamint's fine pour me a shot wuld'ya?" He wasn't talking to anyone girl, in particular, 2D just wanted to indulge. Life was shit on Plastic Beach and now that he had a taste of freedom he only wanted to let loose and get out of his mind. Scanning the room again, this time for any girl he found appealing he downed the shot hissing at the icy burn. "Awright ladies, now tha I've had moi schnapps--Ol' minty fresh now, let's 'ave a seat." Fourteen girls eagerly followed him to the nearby couch completely enthralled and competitive for who would get to him first. 2D lazily leaned back onto the couch, his entire body felt like it was on fire. Were these girls TRYING to get him drunk? It certainly made it easy for them. Foreign hands grazed over his body, voices kittenish and wanting echoed in his ears. Vision blurring, a clear figure in front of him took him for herself. A flash of blond hair and cleavage and then everything went black. The lips of some unknown girl mashed onto his, sticking her tongue into his mouth. 2D's head was spinning; tilting backward he felt more than one person. Cracking his eyes open there were sure enough 3 women caressing his groin whining and begging as drunk as he was.  
  
Blood pulsed through his veins, specifically to the growing erection poking at his jeans. A harder kiss than he was ready for made him putty in their hands. One final time his eyes reopened focusing on the familiar figure standing nearby leaning against the wall. Head back and legs wobbling at her poor balance. There she was; Meryn. His eyes stayed glued to her despite being joined a the mouth with someone else, not to mention the grazing hands now unzipping his jeans open to tug at the protrusion. Meryn appeared to be half awake; the two men from earlier took notice drawing near. It happened so fast. They offered an already inebriated Meryn another drink. She laughed out loud slurring and pushing the glass away. In one blink, 2D saw forceful hands pulling up her skirt and fondling the bits that he'd been curious about for a while. Pressed up against the wall her legs were forced apart; shirt ruffled around her hiked skirt and panties in plain sight.   
  
Suddenly her attitude changed drastically; while being intoxicated Meryn mustered up the force to struggle. The attempt was ineffective; the two men ignored her clear rejection, one holding her in place and the other pressing himself against her. Tears welled in 2D's eyes, it disgusted him and yet he yearned to be the one doing it to her. He bucked forward trying to remove the layers of women stuck on him like glue. Breaking the kiss with the random bimbo he sternly shoved them aside. Despite their pleas, 2D jumped to his feet staggering about. "C'mon snap outta it," he commanded himself firmly bringing his open hand to slap against his cheek. Blinking hard he shook his head willing himself to do something quick. He had drunk too much but something had to be done. Darting for the men, 2D didn't care what would happen to him, if they attacked him he'd figure it out once he knew for a fact that Meryn was O.K. But, by the time he'd gotten there, all he could do was stand there and watch the surprisingly agile and deranged woman cut through the air with sharp, frantic jabs. The man forcing himself on her wound up on the floor instead, with Meryn climbing on top of him digging nails into his throat. Blood drawn panic set in changing the dynamic of the entire room. Onlookers watched stunned at the sight of someone being killed before their eyes. Underneath her the man made several attempts to free himself, flailing and punching at her; but it didn't matter as he weakened from lack of oxygen to the brain. 2D couldn't move; eyes staring and mouth agape, watching someone get the life squeezed out of them by an unbalanced scantily clad woman. Below, eyes rolled back and arms fell down from its grip on her to the floor.  
  
"S-Stop!," the man who once held her pleaded grabbing her arms from behind. Meryn thwarted each of his efforts, no matter what she refused to budge. 2D stepped forward dropping to his knees, in horror he placed his hands over hers. Sadistic cold eyes shot to him staring daggers in nothing but sheer malice. Taken back 2D shook intimidated. It scared him. Swallowing the fear he pressed on; stern yet kind he firmly grasped at her hands," Meryn. Let go." Her shoulders fell, eyes softening being convinced by the glint in his eyes. With his approving nod, she let go. Hands cupped by the large secure ones of 2D, she died inside registering the look of fear on his face. Meryn's mouth formed a heartbreaking frown; struggling to swallow the swollen lump in her throat she quietly stood up pulling down her skirt. "Hey!," the man behind her started to react; his back hit the wall at the swift shove on Meryn's escape. All eyes were on her, stunned and afraid they judged making assumptions and inferences on what was wrong with her. The crazy girl. The damaged one. She was tired of being looked at like a monster. Heart thumping she sprinted off down the hall taking refuge in the room furthest away. Panicked she slammed the door shut behind her throwing her back into the hard surface. Hyperventilating, tears overflowed streaming down her face. Shakily she lifted an arm slamming a clenched fist down against her forearm screaming through her bared teeth.  
  
2D started after her down the hall shoving past the disgusting man being helped off the floor. In a few glides, his lengthy legs stopped in front of the door she entered. Skulking for a moment he took a deep breath swiftly twisting the knob and pushed the door open.

* * *

  
  
It was dark, the streetlights shining in from the windows were the only source of illumination; her eyes were lit up yellow thanks to its glow. Paranoid of who had walked in, there was nothing but weariness within them. Blankly she stared at him, eyelids lowered and mouth held tight into a thin line. Skirt still not quite fixed, the tiny gap between her legs was lit up by the lights behind her. 2D stared back closing the door behind him not breaking away for a moment. Twiddling his thumbs he approached the frozen girl who was avoiding him no longer. Rather than averting her eyes, she was looking right into his own. He stopped with a foot of space between them; upon closer inspection, she trembled and seemed to be holding her breath. Expressionless but the twitch that pulled at her lips suggested she might break in any given second. Full of concern, 2D had to ask,"Why'd yew come 'ere by yerself?"  
  
No response. He tried again,"Why're yew avoidin' me?" Still no response. Black eyes narrowed into a contemptuous glare,"Why d'yew ol' ways run away? Ya know...I'm a bit ticked off wiff yew." Silent, her eyes looked off to the left and then to the right and drifted to the floor deciding to focus on his shoes. "I know," she slowly nodded acknowledging her infuriating tendencies. "At least tell me wha' happened t'yew. Yew we're fine until...yew...um," 2D leaned forward trying to see her expression trailing off once he realized the reason she lowered her head.  A whimper escaped her lips and her hands flew clasping over her mouth. Shaking erratically she held her breath trying to force herself to stop being weak. A couple drops fell to the floor by her feet and she immediately mashed her hands to the rims of her tearing eyes wiping away the evidence. Forcing herself to straighten up she sniffled shaking her head.  
  
"Meryn?"  
  
It took a moment but she met his gaze again; wet with tears her mouth tightened to prevent herself from bawling in front of him. Seriousness in his eyes 2D found himself hesitantly reaching forward. Fingers caressed her cheek dampened from crying. Tracing her jawline, his firm grasp pulled her inward; the other hand came forth gliding through beachy hair and angled her head in admiration. His body and mind lit on fire in closeness with her own. The brown eyes that watched him were puffy and heavy-lidded. Only one identifiable emotion shined through. Longing. The mere seconds of studying her portrait had him leaning in simultaneously lifting her chin until his lips found hers. Meryn whimpered as her eyes shut, melting in his grasp and practically falling into him. Their lips met and clung with tenderness. Taken by his aura, her hands gently pressed against his chest as she became engulfed in his presence. 2D was warm, his hands kind and careful. Released, their lips brushed against each other and caused electricity to spark through the air. For a moment they scanned each other inches apart with eyes traveling from feature to feature until they clashed once again. Bodies pressed together in yearning, their heads turned and tilted attached at the mouth hard and urgent. Together they stumbled backward until they found the wall; pinned she moaned against his lips lightly. He could feel the intensity of her heart beating close to his. With passion and aggression, she kissed back sticking her tongue into his mouth, their teeth clanked together in the drunken battle for dominance. Lips smacking and panting out in exhilaration she ground her hips forward breathing in the same scent of cigarettes and cologne from years ago. Hands on her hips he followed her movements grinding back in response. Large hands pushed the skirt higher on her body, no barrier other than panties hid away what he'd only dreamed of experiencing.  
  
The warmth contained inside was intense even through his jeans. 2D's head spun in between breaths, he had to have her. Hands firmly on Meryn's hips grazed over the lining of her vulva before one slid underneath gliding along the source of the heat. She squirmed a little spreading her legs a bit, allowing two fingers slid across her clit in a circular motion slippery and gentle. Further down, his fingers dipped inside. "A-ah," she gasped against his lips. 2D felt himself harden in response as his fingers disappeared inside of her being engulfed instantly. Shuddering he broke the kiss,"It's payback f'earlier." Voice hypnotizing with a low grumbling vibration he chuckled leaning into her ear. He was being shy, dorky laughter warm against her ear. "I really...really wan' t'be inside yew rioght now Kat," he spoke cautiously knowing he shouldn't have said that. They were both drunk, but he was beginning to care less and less. At the end of his words, she could tell his mouth curved into a smile. Meryn's heart skipped a beat and palpitated at every 2 fingered gush into her. In bliss, her head flew back against the wall, and her lips opened back up to reply, accompanied by a soft moan,"Give it to me."  
  
That was all he needed to hear. Suddenly he removed the fingers from her, a sticky translucent strand of hers fell from his fingertips. In a flash, Meryn found herself being propped up on the table nearby against the wall. Hands on her hips he placed her in front of himself. 2D would make this happen; propping her feet on the table and pulling off her boots. Accommodating his shifting weight against her, Meryn spread her legs wide leaning onto her elbows for leverage. Her knees were pushed forward and legs folded in an instant. In one motion her now soaked panties were slid down her legs and thrown onto the floor behind him. He rolled her shirt up past her breasts exposing the lace bra that held them. Gulping, he took in the sight, eyes jumping rapidly from place to place. With the skirt bunched at her waistline, her entrance stared back at him; pink, a cute button like clit and the small warm orifice he'd only had a sample of. Pitch black eyes trailed from her legs and thighs to the delicate but defined curves of her bottom; dipping back up to her stomach and grippable waist, and last but not least appreciating the full albeit covered breasts with cleavage practically spilling over.  
  
Finally, his eyes stopped on her face, studying the details of her swelling bottom lip and slowly landing on the shy eyes that watched in anticipation of his next move. Against his jeans, his cock throbbed caught in her aching stare. Free hands by her sides tended to unzip him once again freeing him from the bind of his boxers. 2D's cock bounced free brushing against her core before pointing upright fully erect. He smiled goofily, a couple snaggled teeth gnawing on his bottom lip bashfully. Quickly lifting his shirt over head, azure hair fell back in place a brilliant royal blue illuminated in the lights gleaming in from the outside. Meryn couldn't help but stare awestruck, even more, staggering were the voids looking back at her both hollow and narrowed into his signature cool glare. A shy but perverted and idiotic grin stretched across his face as he lined himself up to her settling his hand on her waist. In a smooth push, they both watched as he disappeared inside her. Meryn swooned arching her back in response and 2D's eyes shut in disbelief,"Yer so t-tight, love."  
  
_Those words._  
  
Her womanhood clamped around him pulling him deeper. 2D breathed in sharply chuckling in rapture," **Really** tight." Wordlessly she watched him, her eyes dazed and on an entirely different planet than him. 2D thrust forward warranting her lips to part lined by a small surprised smile. Fully sheathed he sighed deeply repeating the movements rolling his hips back and forth. Brown starry eyes seemed to twinkle up at him, a sweet glazed over look on her face. Hands grasping her waist, 2D moved faster placing an open palm on the small of her back for deeper entry. "Aaauuuhm," she moaned, her eyes briefly rolling back. Interest piqued and tugged his mouth into a smirk. He needed to hear more. Jamming in and out the faster he went the more she would react; starting with soft gasps and moans but becoming more raunchy and desperate.   
  
"Hmm,"he grinned forever amused by the different faces she made. What would Meryn do if he lessened the pace and slammed into her? Overtaken by wonder, he brought his hips forward plunging deep into her. "AAAAuh~,"she shrieked clenching her teeth; arching into him, the thrust was met with one of her own. Head reeling, 2D leaned backward for a moment trying to control himself; he bit down a moan humming instead,"Hnnn yer so gud Kat." His hips rolled forward once more colliding with her own rocking forward to fully sheath him again. "Ffuck--," biting his lip 2D pounded into her. With every thrust of his cock, Meryn became a sexual deviant. Awe-inspired he smiled through the gut-wrenching pleasure making a mental note of her crooked devious little smile. Her head tilted back tossing her hair about. Strands stuck to her face on her bottom lip in heat. A thin layer of sweat broke out all over, hair sticking to her heaving chest and bangs becoming damp gliding against her forehead. The eyes that peered through were heavy-lidded and desperate; her mouth opened with deranged mewls of encouragement,"Aah-mm-M-Moar D!"  
  
'That look' 2D's grip tightened pounding into her with more force. He moaned feeling her walls clench and pull around him. "Heh yer so lewd," he whispered low arching her forward. Eye to eye he shoved himself deep rhythmically, the rolling of his hips against her clit brought half shrieked, half moaned incoherent words of praise. There was one thing he understood perfectly well.  
  
"Fuck me, D."  
  
She was gripping him like a vise, relentlessly 2D threw himself into her hard and fast. With eyes squeezed shut, he bit his lip muttering obscenities under his breath, letting loose and obliging to fucking her like his life depended on it. Feminine arms reached out wrapping around his neck mashing her lips back against his. His tongue darted out with hers; open mouthed sloppy kissing ensued. Deep inside her he moaned into her mouth a vibration in the base of his voice sent Meryn spiraling in euphoria. It was as if they were welded together. He swooned suddenly exploring every inch of her body, in the heat of the moment eager fingers pushed her bra up exposing her breasts. He couldn't help himself; hands roamed overgrazing, grabbing desperately at the exposed skin. His jaw nearly dropped at the eyeful of her bare breasts. Overcome, 2D fell forward a bit of his weight on her she lay flat on her back. Legs wrapped around his hips, his hand still gripping the small of her back. Again she arched forward cooing as his swollen tongue dove back into her mouth. Feverishly she ground against him as he bucked his hips forward to desperately fill the overwhelming need if emptying himself inside her.  
  
The rumble in his voice had become unstable, almost warbling, frenzied and unhinged. 2D panted against her lips, with pleasure-filled eyes watching her closely. Everything was building up inside him and he knew the end was near. "S-Shit unh I won' las much longah," his voice was breaking, bucking wildly into her womb. Losing control of himself too fast, it felt like the world was collapsing in on him. In a unfathomable bliss his hand grasped at her chest, gaining a handful he never wanted to let go. Biting down into his lip, he squinted barely able to see her anymore. His grip tightened and he warned,"Tis gunna-- be a lot!" Meryn held a tight grasp on his jaw staring him down a few inches from his face, she leaned in dragging her tongue across his agape panting mouth. Against his lips she smirked, and whispered a request,"Cum inside me."  
  
Meryn's eyes were wild, this close to her he could see how wide her pupils had gotten. The otherworldly grasp of her insides pushed him to a place he never thought he'd go. His grip was bruising as he threw himself frantically like a madman. Meryn screamed out shrill vulgarity through her teeth, the corners of her eyes welling up with tears. Her eyes suddenly squeezed shut; panicked moans and quick panting became a single drawn outcry that sung through the air. Her head flew back in an instant with her back arching impossibly hard against him yelling a jumbled mass of lewd screams as the feeling of absolute bliss fluttered through her. The coil-like hold around him brought him over the edge. Teeth clenched and through squinted lids he watched her lose herself. Earth shattering thrust after thrust had him overflowing pumping her full. "A-Ah-aaah-hah!", 2D choked out a long harsh moan erratically pouring every bit inside Meryn's aching womanhood. Biting his lip he swore through his teeth thrusting forward a few more times. And like that, 2D was spent.  
  
He stopped himself from falling onto her fully, not wanting to crush her. His arms wobbled holding himself up the best he could. Both remained there panting coming down from their high together. Beneath him, Meryn trembled only able to utter little moans for communication. Gasping for air, 2D eventually caught his breath. Looking down at her she was dazed and for lack of better words, cum-drunk. She appeared to be somewhere else entirely, 2D regained a bit of his conscience quite worried if she could actually see him or not. Awkwardly he waved his hand back and forth in front of her face,"Are yew alright?" A lazy satisfied smile beamed back,"Nah. I'm dead."  
  
Snickering 2D adjusted his weight propping himself up on an elbow, casually laying his cheek in the palm of his hand,"I'll...try not t'kill yew next time."


	29. Recovery

Atop of the half-dressed woman he just inseminated, 2D sighed humming to himself in content,"Sounds loike yer back t'normal." Looking up into his eyes, she suddenly felt silly for her earlier behavior. "Hey um....", she mumbled with eyes fleeting but focused. Meryn wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him forward into a shy kiss. 2D drew forward on his own accord to meet with her and deepened the connection between their lips. An involuntary moan of hers reverberated against his mouth as he started to pull away. "Heh heh, hmm," he chuckled humming against her mouth. All the innocence returned to her eyes; she could barely look at him without smiling. Batting her lids she bashfully muttered through slightly parted lips,"I'm really sorry." More interested in watching her, 2D nodded placing his elbows along both sides of her shoulders. Getting more comfortable he rested his weight against her, the buzzed feeling returning once they'd calmed down. Through barely open eyes he saw guilt in her eyes awaiting a response. "S'awright Kat, but uhmm," he trailed off closing his eyes. "Ummm?" she mimicked him when he didn't reply again. "Yew gave me a handy earlier yeah? Annnd yew sucked me off too- So loike...where'd tha' come from?",eyes still closed he rambled the question that had been bothering him all day. She was quiet, only the sound of her steady breathing keeping him awake. "Wanted t'make me jizz?", 2D bluntly asked peeking at her with one eye.

  
Flustered, Meryn stuttered a bit,"A-Among other things..." He smirked, the eye that was open narrowed at the growing grin stretching across his face,"Other fings loike...?" His eyebrows rose expectantly with hints of suggestive ideas. She rolled her eyes curling her lip upward. Attentive, he reopened both eyes peering down at her in complaint,"S'not a answer!" "Maybe you'll find out later," Meryn started to sit up propping herself on her hands. 2D rose with her, sighing all of a sudden feeling drained of energy. Aimlessly he pushed the bangs out of Meryn's face stopping to have a good look at her up close and personal,"Yer real pretty ya know..." She beamed a genuine front toothed gap that he'd not seen in awhile. All the built up tension between them was weird and uncomfortable but in this moment it seemed everything between them had come full circle. Admiring the timidness in her actions, 2D became a bit dizzy, all the alcohol he'd drank earlier reminded him of his poor choices in the form of blurring vision and the room spinning around him. "We shuld head back to the hotel Kat," he suggested pushing past the want to pass out on top of her. "I'll probably end up throwing up later," she cringed suddenly nauseated; her body was still playing catch up because of the vigorous activity she'd participated in. "Yeah I gawt completely bungalowed earlier! Startin' t'regret it NOW f'course...," he admitted in agreement with her.   
  
"Um...in order to go back to the hotel you have to not be inside me D...," chuckling Meryn blinked up at him. "O-Oh! R-Rioght...," 2D snickered a little lifting himself up completely. A sizable hand extended to her pulling Meryn up in a smooth swift motion. She flew forward at his rather strong grip, it seemed to be effortless lifting her weight; she was jerked forward into his chest still gripping onto his firm hand.  All her hair came forth draping over the exposed breasts and bra that had yet to be adjusted. Once again for a split second, they both froze simply staring at each other until something else caught his attention. Peering downward he noticed the mixture of bodily fluids glazed over both their nether regions. "Sowwy," his face flushed staring at where their bodies were still joined. "It looks loike I made a mess f'yer fanny...," sheepishly he scratched the back of his head tussling the cool colored spikes about. In a kittenish manner, Meryn propped herself up swaying from side to side wordlessly admiring the decoration on her lower end. Pulling himself out he sighed in relief,"Yew were squeezin' tha loife outta me." So wet even on his exit he shuddered seeing how his cock glistened in the glow of the lights through the windows. Traces of 2D oozed out of her at his removal. Lazily she rested her legs over the edge of the table with a sigh of her own coyly responding,"I like that you made a mess out of me..."  
  
"Hm, kinky gerl," he teased tucking himself away back into his boxers. Meryn kicked her foot out pointing at her discarded panties that he'd thrown to the floor in the heat of the moment. Zipping himself up again, he gladly retrieved them for her, even sliding the lacy fabric back up her legs and stopping at her thighs. She could take it from this point; still very much intoxicated she leaped off of the table pulling them up properly to hug at her hips and beautifully outline the flesh he'd just beaten away at. 2D blinked in both perversion and wondering of the reserves of energy that enabled her to be awake at a time like this. She had drunk more than he did after all, clearly. They'd picked themselves up adjusting their clothes back to a normal appearance going about it in silence. "Uhm," 2D mumbled,"Yew shuld probably hold moi hand." His hand balled into a fist clenched inside his pocket. "Don' wan' anymore bell end sods messin' wiff yew again...," he shot a somewhat impatient glare towards the door, his foot tapping in rising disgust remembering the actions that two men were forcing upon her earlier. Trying not to look too upset, he gauged her for agreement,"Know wha' I mean?"  
  
_Oh yeah._ She'd almost forgotten; the presence of 2D drowned out the murderous intent she felt earlier, along with the worry and the tears. Nodding, Meryn laced her fingers with his own. Intertwined, he held a firm reassuring grasp on her that told her 2D wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to her. Fond and a little embarrassed of the sentiment in his suggestion he made serious the look in his eye leading her out of the dark room. Back into the drunken chaos of the party, the dimmed lighting was almost too bright in comparison to the darkness they spent a good deal of time in. The sound of music and loud drunken people still made the atmosphere. Random couples sat joined at the mouth in corners around the large room, the two men who tried to sexually assault her were nowhere to be found. The crowd parted for them; some in awe and others intimidated or judging the tallish woman who'd despite being drunk and woman who was much less built in stature, literally tackled a grown man several times her size to the floor. The girl who had 2D and was eager to make him hers looked on in jealousy purposely brushing past Meryn as they passed by. The little woman who told her of the party stood by with numerous other petite women who were similarly dressed; she avoided eye contact, for the most part, only outlining the breasts she lacked with her hands and mouthing for the name of the "surgeon" Meryn had. She didn't matter, none of these people did. Her eyes were fixed on the man she'd had feelings for as he casually led her out looking back at her every couple seconds to check that she was O.K.  
  
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, a jittery content tight-lipped smile shined bright through the smoke and the haze. Meryn's lungs filled with fresh air as soon as 2D had opened the door. Inwardly she rejoiced; the party was shit, but one good thing had come along with it. "Uh," he suddenly spoke pulling her forth in front of him as he pulled the door shut behind him. "Is it....still kewl wiff yew if I'm holdin' yer hand?", he fidgeted in place looking at her in question. With an embarrassingly eager grin, she turned away. Her answer was her pulling him along, much to his surprise as he stumbled after her. "Kat yew 'ave any idea where yer goin'?" he eventually stopped by her side while she tried to wrack her brain for the location of the hotel that she'd never been to. Snorting at just how drunk she was she shook her head,"Nope!" Amused, 2D cackled heavily sighing and throwing his head back to peer up at the night sky,"We've got a ways t'walk--Are yew gonna make it?"  
  
"We'll see~!," she chirped, unknowingly skipping off in the opposite direction. "Aaaah OI OI OI," he staggered after her,"Tha's tha wrong way!" Too tired, he stopped placing his hands on his knees. "How're yew so fast?!," his voice cracked as he gasped for air watching the exaggerated theatrical movements in her stride. Like a child, she giggled and spun in the moonlight basking in the night air,"Drunken fueeeel~!"

* * *

  
Not much was said since they'd gotten to their room. Almost immediately, Meryn sprinted to the bathroom. Emptying her stomach contents into the toilet, 2D glanced finicky and unsure of what he should do to help merely peeking from the corner of the door frame. Heaving into the toilet a few more times she felt much better. Meryn spat, flushing the purged food and quickly wiping her mouth with a wad of toilet paper tossing it along before the water reset. Drawing backward, Meryn stood up now sobered and able to think again. Glancing over to the gawking dark-eyed doof that was frozen looking sideways at the frame of the door, Meryn became a bit embarrassed. Jittery she rinsed her mouth out with the tap water from the sink, feeling the eyes watching her every move. Grabbing the little travel sized mouthwash in the corner, compliments of their stay, she cleaned out her mouth spitting as discretely as possible covering the side of her face with her free hand. Turning the faucets off, she stared into the sink with a sigh before glancing over once more," Sorry you had to see that..." Stricken, 2D stood up straight worried that his staring had indeed made her feel uncomfortable," It's O.K., jus want'd t'make sure yew were sorted, love."   
  
"I'll be fine now. I overdid it at the party...soooo,"drying her hands on a small towel, Meryn walked towards the door a bit uneasy that she'd have to walk past the man she both performed for and drunkenly had sex within a matter of hours. "I guess this is my punishment," she finished her sentence stopping just before him awkwardly referencing her retching from moments ago. Noticing he was in her way he staggered off to the side,"Sowwy. Uhm guess I'll take a showah then." Slowly walking past Meryn nodded kneeling down to her bag sat right side up in the corner of the room,"You brought my stuff for me?" Hair flung over her shoulder as if she was in a shampoo commercial as she looked back in question. Blinking 2D nodded,"Yeah."  
  
"Thanks, D," she forced herself to say his name inwardly shivering as it left her lips.  
  
"Yer welcome...Kat," feeling a bit silly he motioned for the bathroom,"I'll jus be a minute."  
  
"O.K.," she nodded rapidly watching him fidget and disappear into the bathroom. The door closed behind him shrouding the room in darkness. Meryn remained there in front of her things for awhile, trying to remind herself how to act like a normal person, but as it seemed, they were both still weird with each other. In annoyance she leaned forward, her forehead hitting the wall,"It's to be expected when you sleep with someone at random..." Murmuring insults at herself she sifted through the clothes she brought along, remembering the attire she chose was of the same type. Blowing a stream of air from her lips she stood up carefully walking through the darkness to turn on the television. For awhile she grazed her fingers back and forth trying to find a button on the screen to press. The door behind her opened up illuminating her bent over form,"Showah's free." "Oh that was fast,"Meryn jumped in surprise forcing a smile. Quietly she grabbed a pair of shorts and a snug T-shirt along with the cute strawberry patterned pair of panties that had the most fabric of all the other two panties she brought with her. Practically sprinting for the bathroom she awkwardly trudged past, closing the door behind her. 2D blinked turning for the television she had given up on; with ease he found the on button bringing the room into decent illumination. The towel around his waist was thrown to the ground as he let out a hearty yawn and stretched for the ceiling.  
  
Standing in the nude for a moment he considered whether or not the awkwardness that made up their relationship would continue on even after they'd done the one thing that brings a relationship to a different level. In silence, he flicked from channel to channel not finding anything particularly interesting before eventually stepping into the briefs he had been neglecting to put on in all the time since exiting the bathroom. His hair a tad bit damp caused the usual style to droop a bit, stray drops of water falling down his back once he stepped into a pair of lounging pants and flung back up to his towering stature. On the edge of the bed, he sat down, his legs too long to sit like a normal person. Only watching the Chilean television station out of boredom his eyes gradually came to a close.   
  
Light suddenly filled the room after awhile before darkening again instantaneously. He barely registered her movements from behind he was so tired. Only when a tap came on his shoulder did he pay attention. Saying nothing, Meryn held out a cigarette before him placing it against his lips. 2D stared blankly as ever, gradually parting his lips to accept the offer. Reaching behind into his jeans flung onto the bed for his lighter, another light flickered to life at his side. Meryn held what he was looking for, having already thought this through apparently. Smiling he accepted the light leaning forward into the steady flame. Taking a drag in he exhaled just then noticing what she was wearing. An eyeful of her lower half now in rather short shorts, the small of her back rounding out into curves more accented than covered by the T-shirt clinging to her breasts, a bit of her stomach visible as she stretched and the elastic of her panties peeking out from the lining of the little shorts she wore. Several droplets of water dripped onto the shirt and down her back at the freshly washed hair that draped over, the sight of a wet T-shirt woke him up entirely noticing that he could see through it a bit in the glowing light of the television. Half of the cigarette became ash immediately as he sat there, undisguised gawking at her form. In the blink of an eye, she retrieved the ashtray sat on the bedside table catching the ash before it fell onto the carpet.  
  
"Smoky the bear would be disappointed in you D," she joked flicking his forehead. "Ah!," he winced rubbing the spot she plunked with his free hand,"Tha' hurt!" Meryn left it with him and walked off puckering her lips,"You're sturdy D." With another inhale and exhale more smoke wafted into the room,"Yew don' mind?" "Nope, I told you before that my mom smoked a ton. In a way it's nostalgic...or something I guess,"trailing off she bent over at her at her bag, retrieving a glob of oil from the small bottle sat atop the few folded clothes and slathering it along her plentiful hair. "Wha's tha'?," 2D asked tilting his head to the side. "Argan oil. It's so my hair doesn't break, it's best to apply it when its wet...," concentrating she vigorously applied the fragrant oil along each curl and wave. He watched entranced as it tossed about at the application, running her fingers through and through she eventually got the ends flinging it all from side to side in a poor attempt of air drying. "Yer actin'...different--Confident loike," 2D blew more smoke between the gaps of his teeth tapping the end of the cigarette on the ashtray left beside him.   
  
"If I am, it's probably because you've been staring at me this entire time," smugly she grinned watching him through the swirling locks that had fallen forward into her face. With a hand, she tossed it all back letting it fall at her shoulders and take its place along her back. "You're the one who's shirtless, I should be staring at you....," Meryn mumbled lacing her fingers behind her. "...Wan' me t'put one on?" he asked looking away from her. "N-No...," she quickly replied to his surprise. Dumbfounded his eyes shot back to her at the pivot of his head. Sat there cigarette between two fingers, he exhaled, breathing out for what seemed like forever,"Really? How come?" All the smoke exited his lungs waiting for a reply. "Don't make me say it D...," awkwardly she kicked her feet at the ground pouting at the obvious reason why.  
  
At long last, the cigarette finally came to an end. 2D stood up snuffing out the fire of the cigarette butt in the ashtray,"Yew...remembered moi favorite brand--How'd yew find it? I looked 'round f'it and everywhere I went told me they were sold out." Meryn stepped forward for the bed,"Probably because I bought them all." "Wha'??? But yew don't uh--," it dawned on him. Flattered he grinned his toothy smile,"Yew bought ol' of em f'me?" "Y-You were saying on Plastic Beach that you missed your habit so...I just stocked up since I saw them...it's apparently a popular brand here. I checked in more than one place too, only one had them...," she was speaking in run-on sentences trying to cover the sentimentality in her actions earlier. "But when'd yew 'ave tha chance to find em?," he inquired. "When I was brooding earlier...I started trying to think of ways to break the ice and well--I don't know! It was me trying to get in your good graces despite being wishy-washy with you...I guess?" even her explanation held much less consistency than it normally would.   
  
Blankly he stared at her off in his own head. Nervous laughter echoed as she reached the edge of the bed standing uncomfortably at her admission,"Nevermind I guess?" Back to earth, 2D rounded the bed stopping just before her. Serious in expression it felt like moments had gone by before he stepped closer inches away from her. Shy she avoided eye contact but wound up giving into his relentless stare. Meryn blinked and in that instant, he darted forward tilting her chin and crashing his lips against hers. The unpleasant taste of cigarettes was all of a sudden candy when it came from him. Her head spun as his tongue entered her mouth; fingers ran through her hair and found their way along her scalp controlling the force of the kiss. The force exerted brought her body forward to mash against his; Meryn's heart was racing through her breasts against him, his own heartbeat echoed back almost in sync. Her body was moldable in his grasp. His other hand gripped her waist gliding down to hold onto her wide hips; deepened the joining of their lips smacked against each other clinging back together with urgency each time. Meryn went limp a bit swaying as if she were high in the clouds. A light moan escaped once he released her, she started to fall backwards but was jerked forward back in close proximity to his face. 2D grinned dopey as ever,"I woz ticked off a'yew earlier, but yew weren't in a bad standin' wiff me or anyfing loike tha'."  
  
"Oh--Okay," she shivered under his close watch trying to calm herself. "Awright darling, t'bed wiff ya,"hands on his hips 2D proudly grinned. "Huh?," she started to protest only to be turned around with his hands on her shoulders and marched a couple steps over to get under the covers. Pouting her cheeks puffed up with air,"Fiiiine." Snickering along he turned away turning off the television, shooting a glare until she lowered herself into bed. "Good! Everyfing's sorted then!," yawning wide, 2D joined her in bed. Through tired eyes, he was staring again looking down at her from his propped up position. Without thinking she reached up caressing his jaw receiving a wide-eyed tender look. He complied following her pull forth placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Below Meryn yearned for a bit more, her grip all of a sudden demanding as she pulled him completely on top of her never breaking away kissing back deeply. Chuckling against her lips 2D's hand grazed under her shirt brushing over the raised flesh atop her breast, the other grasped her cheek. Meryn hummed into his mouth her hips rolling forward of their own accord warranting a moan of his own to answer back. Dragging his lips away for a moment he muttered,"You're tempting love." Beneath him, she swooned,"Do you want me right now?"   
  
A broad brow lifted at her question,"F'course." Sitting up he got a good look at her again. The hand on her cheek trailed down her body sliding under the shorts she wore. Fingers grazed along the warmth of her panties, his index finger pressed down onto the source of heat. It was drawing him in, middle finger slid underneath the second layer gliding across her skin. Intently watching her face 2D let it slip inside her entrance. Lips parting she sharply breathed in heavy-lidded with a sweet look in her eyes. The other finger rhythmically rubbed at the small nub. Curling his middle finger he teased her pulling his finger in and out of Meryn. Through her squinted eyes she moaned grinding back against him her lips forming a perfect 'o' whenever she expressed the pleasure she felt. He couldn't help himself, lips came crashing back down to hers; in anticipation, she parted her own bringing him into a slow open-mouthed kiss. Without warning, he broke away from her his face full of wanting and yet disgruntled somehow. With a pout, Meryn removed his hand from her underwear placing it on her waist instead,"You're so thoughtful..." Confused he wondered why she had said that. Smiling she trailed her own hands down his bare chest boldly grazing fingertips over the tent in his pants. At her sudden touch, his erection twitched in her grasp while she closed her palm over his length stroking twice. Involuntarily 2D moaned thrusting into her hand. As sudden as it started she ended it. "Still wanting to be a 'gentleman'?",she guessed respecting his continued chivalry.  
  
"Yew can tell?" frowning at how easily she could tease him, 2D nodded. "I still wan' t'do...this...rioght," he mumbled. "Then...we'll pick this back up on Plastic Beach?" she asked surprising him with her lack of disappointment. "I'm also real tired from tha last time and at this rate...we'll only 'ave a couple hours before Murdoc comes to ruin everyfing," his head tilted resting on her chest. "I can't stand tha' sod," he mumbled in annoyance speaking against her breasts. Meryn's laughter shook his head along with the rising and falling of her breathing. "And this way we gawt somefing t'do when were back t'Plastic Beach!," he added feeling like a genius for coming up with a way to entertain himself when he was inevitably brought back to captivity. "  
  
Again she erupted with laughter,"Shut up D."


	30. Common Ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flirting, mutual understandings, roaming hands and petting. All that jazz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold the terrible jist of what Meryn looks like. It's hard to copy Jamie Hewlett's art style. D: So I said "screw it" and just sketched this up. Hopefully it isn't disappointing to those who have wondered what she looks like. I have another picture that I'd like to touch up on a bit but its Meryn with her hair wavy.....so yeah. Sorry if it sucks!
> 
> *If for some reason the image doesn't load, click 'Meryn' and open in a new tab *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  


* * *

  
9:00 A.M.  
  
2D sighed in discontent already knowing it would be a long day. On his back he lay looking up at the ceiling; turning only his head he watched the peaceful slumber Meryn seemed to be in. Hair coiling and wavy spread along her back falling over her shoulders. She had fallen asleep facing him, lips parted they'd close whenever she took in a deep breath. Now sober and looking at her once more, 2D couldn't believe it had taken him so long to pursue her in this way. He'd always thought she was cute; a pretty thing with a rather memorable body. Back at Kong Studios he always pushed away thinking of her in that manner. She was of age but still a bit younger than him and close to Noodle's age at that. When she was alive that is...2D's head fell a bit on that revelation. Back on track, he did the math in his head. At 19, he was 27; it felt weird whenever he'd gotten too good a look at her. After all the screwing around he'd done during the Gorillaz break up it would behoove him to keep it in his pants to avoid yet another illegitimate child being born to a man who had no intention of stepping up. Meryn was no random lay; the girl--woman before him had been good friends with him perhaps even best friends at one point.  
  
Unable to quite grasp the current situation, there was no way in hell he'd ever complain about having the pleasure of indulging in her. The fact that she got along well with him and didn't mind his babbling or nonsensical talks was a great bonus. There was indeed a reason he had meant to keep his hands off of her; that reason was simple, he cared about what happened to her. 2D had jumped from girl to girl since the Paula Cracker incident; random sex and unprotected at that. Somewhere along the lines he stopped trying and just got around instead, such was the life of a rock star. Right? Still; staring at her, Meryn was innocent in all this and even now he came to the same conclusion that she would undoubtedly get hurt if she ever came to expect anything resembling a full relationship from him. Jerking his view back to the ceiling he groaned sheepishly covering half of his face with an open palm.   
  
2D broke out into a sweat, biting his lower lip in shame having inwardly admitted what he had fully committed to. He flat out missed being intimate with a woman and being trapped in an underwater barracks with one, a pretty one at that had been doing things to him. He recalled laying next to her for the first time and the near-immediate erection just looking at her sleeping form from behind. 2D shook his head shamefully looking back down at her. Wide open brown eyes stared back.  
  
"AGH!", he jumped startled as if he'd been caught doing something inappropriate. He stared bug-eyed, teeth clenched and flinching; raising his arms in defense. An eyebrow rose confused by his overreaction. Flustered, 2D stuttered in question almost biting his tongue,"H-How long'ave yew been awake?" Meryn searched his expression for whatever was making him more awkward than usual," Not that long..." He looked guilty for some reason she wasn't understanding. "S-S-So uhm, it's ol'most time for 'nother meetin'--Bout' 9:15 in tha' mornin' now," with a wavering smile 2D held up his expression not giving in to the urge to relentlessly apologize for reasons he didn't all the way understand.   
  
".....," Meryn silently lifted herself up, joints popping as she stretched for the ceiling. Her braless form accented by the tightly fit shirt she wore. 2D's cheeks flushed bright red remembering what her bare breasts looked like in the drunken blur of last night's main event. The cool morning air caused goosebumps to break out over her skin, along with the two little bumps that stuck out from her shirt. He wanted to see her fully naked next time, the nips that caught his attention so enticing that he knew he'd have to keep to his word and immediately undress Meryn the moment they were back in their cell together. "Why're you being shy D?" she caught on noticing his shifting eye movements. "You've already seen me...," the smile of confidence that formed on her lips started to fade, appearing to be disheartened all of a sudden,"Do you wish you hadn't?"  
  
2D wildly shook his head,"NO NO NO! Tha's not it!" Scratching the back of his head he fiddled his fingers together feeling the pressure of the situation. Meryn fell silent for a couple moments before blurting out what was bothering her,"Are you not used to seeing me like...that?" Frantic again, 2D shook his head. "Do you want to see me like that again?" her brows rose waiting for an answer. Boldly and unashamed 2D nodded his head before withdrawing in embarrassment pulling his knees to his chest. Mustering up the courage to ask, he suddenly spoke again halfway hiding his face,"D-Do yew regret wha' happened las' nioght Kat?" With an intent stare, Meryn shook her head,"Nope."  
  
"Tha's gud but...I've been wonderin'...woz it really O.K. f'me to...um well,"now watching her reaction through his fingers he hoped Meryn would fill in the blank so he wouldn't have to. "I'm on birth control, it's fine," Meryn insisted waving her hand about dismissively. 2D not so stealthily sighed in relief; realizing how rude he must've looked at the end of his exhale. Trying to save face he covered his mouth,"Din't mean it loike tha'..." He mumbled against his broad hands, studying her expression. Nothing about her face struck him as dangerous; instead, she went from blankly staring to climbing on top of him. A long leg spread over his groin coming down along his side; quietly she settled placing her warmth to his as the growing reaction from her sudden movements got a clear rise out of him. The twitch beneath her brought a coy smile stretching across her face. "I wouldn't have told you to cum inside me if wasn't," looking slightly bashful she averted her gaze looking to the alarm clock situated on the side table. "Ahem," 2D cleared his throat,"Wha happened t'our liddle deal?" Meryn shrugged, her lips puckering nonchalant and blase," I'm not doing anything. Just sitting is all."  
  
"But it seems like a part of you disagrees with the parameters you set,"her watchful brown eyes flickered downward finally getting a glimpse of the sexually frustrated and disgruntled look on his face. 2D frowned,"Yew loike teasin' me don'ya?" Matter of factly he pooched out his chest folding the lengthy arms across it,"I'll 'ave yew know yeah? This fing 'appens evry day when I'm wakin' up!" Meryn snickered,"Are you sure it has nothing to do with me being on top of you D?" Quite red in the face 2D spat out,"NO! I mean YEAH!?" Head leaning back Meryn laughed aloud shaking atop of the man squirming around below,"I see. Are you saying you don't want me then?" She was infuriatingly sexy at this moment; as much as 2D had put effort into being a nice guy and respecting her by keeping his curious hands off of her, Meryn was begging for him to treat her as he would any other girl. Face scrambled, he struggled to look at her,"Tha's not wha I'm sayin'--Look I donno Kat, I'm not much gud at this. Not tha' I'm bad wiff gerls, but loike...mutual....feelings? D'ya know wha I mean?"  
  
Her expression changed to that of disappointment and humiliation. Trying not to look too bothered she smiled shrugging off the pain that came with his words,"Not really. Are you saying you don't like me?" A large palm came down smacking upon his face,"N-No. I loike yew!" Leaning forward, Meryn pressed her body to his, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk,"So then what's the problem D?" He broke into a cold sweat practically swallowing his bottom lip he bit down so hard,"I jus don' wanna hurt yew..."  
  
Inwardly she worried what he meant by that, but too caught up in her dreams coming true she ignored her better judgment feigning ignorance. Against his ear, Meryn chuckled feeling 2D's heart racing against her,"I have a feeling I'd like it if you did." The harshest erection sprung at the suggestion in her tone of voice. Gulping he wiped the sweat forming on his brow," Yer killin' me, Kat..." The perversion in her voice continued,"I wouldn't do that. I like you too much." 2D gasped,"Cutie!" Clasping both his hands over his mouth he withheld the urge to grab hold of her and fuck the ever-loving shit out of the little tease Meryn was being. His eyes squeezed shut trying to will away the lust brewing within. 'I really don' wan' t'mess this up,' he thought to himself in place of the sinful imagery in his head. 'Nevah fell in love wiff anyone; I'll jus be another disappointment to this one just loike ol the others. It's olways tha' same, I like a gerl, she loikes me but it's nevah enough...,' slowly 2D reopened his eyes the sight of Meryn coming into view. He blinked, subconsciously beaming up at her,"Sowwy."  
  
'I wan' t'love 'er so flippin' bad,' 2D stuck in thought continued to stare doe-eyed to the woman lying atop him. Meryn tilted her head in question losing her nerve,"Should I leave you alone?" Wholeheartedly, 2D wanted and needed to know what it was that made her imprint on him. "Kat, how come yew loike me? I'm not ol' tha' smart, and yer a fit gerl, yew could get anyone yew wanted!" angry with himself 2D chuckled, his own inadequacy being the only thing that kept him from fully giving into the person who may as well have been specifically made for him. She was so imperfect that somehow Meryn attained perfection. She took a moment to put it into words, staring at the upper left corner of the room and then to the right. "....You're genuinely a beautiful person. That's why" she spoke softly.   
  
"I-I'm jus me Kat. Plain ol' Stu. And plain ol' Stu ain't as beautiful as yew fink," the bloody irises behind his black lenses focused in on her. Just looking at her, all the hairs on his body stood up, "Yew on tha' other hand...are exactly as beautiful as yew appear--" Sighing heavily 2D tried to explain,"I'll level wiff ya, I'm a deadbeat--Not meant t'be a dad or for tyin' tha knot--" Meryn interrupted anxious to have this conversation,"I didn't ask you to father my children or marry me D. I only asked if you wanted me." "Course I do...," 2D mumbled. "Then...when we get back to Plastic Beach, show me," she was shaking; a bundle of nerves as she lifted herself off of him. For a moment, he went blank the next he was chuckling again rubbing the stubble on his chin. More serious than he'd been in a long time, 2D made up his mind. He would try. From this point on, there would be no holding back for her sake. Possessive hands wrapped around Meryn's hips preventing her from going anywhere,"Come 'ere f'a sec Kat." In one fluid movement a hand trailed up underneath the snug shirt along her spine rewarding him with a shudder and a prominent arch forward; the other hand took the opportunity to firmly pull Meryn into a middle to middle embrace, tightly holding her close. Their faces inches apart the surprised and shy expression she wore was reason enough to give her what she wanted.   
  
2D simply held on committing her aura to memory, nose to nose he smiled; humming in laughter the base in his voice vibrated in the small gap between them,"Brilliant." Heart fluttering; Meryn trembled, her mouth slightly ajar, a little whimper somehow made the atmosphere heavy. "Yer so cute when yer speechless Kitty Kat," the warmth of his tobacco laddened breath whispered against her lips. "And frum wha I saw las night, yer cute when yer gettin' dicked down by plain ol' Stu. I'll be sure yeah? Tha' yew'll be makin' tha same face later,"lining 2D's words were the hot and heavy pants of a woman possessed by lust. The look on her face was priceless; 2D snickered, all traces of being cool disappearing by each proud guffaw that burst from his mouth. "See! I can be a tease too love--," his gloating for having gotten the best of her was interrupted by open-mouthed mind-boggling kissing. The hand stroking lines along Meryn's spine trailed down laying flat on her backside. The hand drew away, coming back down with a force she hadn't anticipated. Earthy eyes shot open as she shrieked into his mouth. Teeth and lack thereof against her tongue, 2D snickered releasing Meryn from his grip," Yer a durty liddle fing aren't yew?"  
  
On his release, her lips puckered into a pout eyes narrowing into little slits. Immediately he reverted back to normal waving his hands about and swearing he didn't mean to hit her so hard. Once again cowering through parted fingers, 2D studied her behavior expecting to be hit, however to his surprise Meryn laid back onto him angling her mouth above his jugular. "Aaaunhm," 2D moaned feeling the pressure of her teeth and the lapping of her tongue pressing against his neck. The warm tongue slid along sucking upon the skin becoming red at the broken blood vessels in her wake. Hands flew to her hair holding her there in place to lap and gnaw away at his weakness. "Tssss~," he hissed clenching his teeth. The entirety of his lower half drew forward of its own accord. Hips rolled forward grinding against her, 2D moaned,"Mm-T-Tha's my sweet spot-" She let go for a moment, the skin rose into a welt and his grip weakened. The already protruding erection twitched once more, poking into her middle.  
  
"I thought so, in the Demon Dayz album you had this hickey on your neck," Meryn spoke plainly, abruptly returning to nibble at 2D's neck. Again he ground forward, this time receiving a response grinding back at him. The cycle continued a give and take of heated thrusts and moans of encouragement. Teeth sank into the sensitive skin of his swelling neck, her tongue blatantly licking the warm welts. His head spun wrenching away before she gained complete control of him,"Awright awright darling lets wind down now! Murdoc'll be 'ere real soon and I can't 'ave em seein' yew loike this--! Ol' lewd n' wantin' me...hehe he."   
  
_Because of the Paul Crack and Rachel Stevens thing?_ She pouted complying with his wishes running a hand through her hair,"Fiiiiine." Meryn climbed off swinging her leg back over to her designated side; plopping on her back she groaned in complaint,"I guess I'll nap until he gets here. How long do you figure it'll be?" 2D peered over to the alarm clock, now showing 9:49 A.M.,"Whoa! Tis ol'most 10:00 innit? Tha' woz fast...!" Eyes closing, Meryn shrugged blithe rolling onto her stomach in attempt to get more comfortable. Face planting into the pillows she mumbled,"Time flies when you're screwing around." Still recuperating a bit Meryn quieted drifting into a light unconsciousness; in her sleep, she turned her head away her entire body turning on its side soon after. The hourglass that was her form was hypnotizing enough on its own; 2D's gaze drifted along the dips and curves falling on the strawberry pattern panties peeking out from her shorts.  
  
Straight-faced he sighed, gnawing on the swole bottom lip Meryn had just mashed her own lips to,"Dear Lord..." Almost too content with how comfortable things were, an eager hand reached out tugging at the fabric partly hoping it'd just undress her for him. Taking notice of the area between her thighs, the color was somewhat raw; a pinkish color atop the toasty hue of her skin. "Did I do tha'?," 2D whispered to himself, hoping he hadn't unknowingly caused any harm. The large hand playfully cupped at her backside, allowing his index finger to wander for just a moment gliding across what would be her entrance. It all backfired; quite ironically the protrusion pointed back at him from its once declining state. The tip of his index finger warmed almost instantly coming in contact with the arousing glossy substance just beyond and seeping through the patterned undergarment. Through the gaps of missing teeth, he whistled in attempt to calm himself pulling the curious finger away. Meryn squirmed at the sudden absence; her shoulders rose and fell returning to normal.   
  
In the corner of his eye, 2D could see the clock displaying 5 minutes until 10:00 A.M. Brows furrowing in shame of the nagging male instincts, he let the same hand unleash the throbbing erection that was begging to be relieved. No time to dawdle, 2D set out to do just that. With nonstop visual inspiration laying beside him, 2D kept tugging bringing himself closer and closer. Through narrowed eyes, the view of her seemed to be moving but he didn't care to stop now or to think about being caught. Eyes clenched shut, he didn't notice what had happened. Suddenly over his hand grazed another; the dark voids shot open seeing the hand that gleamed from finger tip to finger tip take hold of his cock and finish the deed for him. Meryn's hand glided easily along his shaft glazed over with her own lubrication. Hands that were softer and glossy with the very same substance that had seeped through her panties. In awe he watched the motion of her wrist and the palm of her hand jerking rapidly as if she knew he'd cum any second.   
  
In the heat of the moment, his lids lowered, being serviced to completion. Hips came forth thrusting into Meryn's hand; her own strokes had him saying things he'd not said to a woman before. 2D scrunched his face in rapture mumbling in a low breathy tone and hoarsely muttering a sex-drenched declaration of ardor,"God...I fink I'm fallin' f'yew." In a couple more tugs, he came, spurting into the air. "A-Ah...Kat", he panted lightly in a low toned grumble with sweet ecstasy washing over his features. He smiled watching her stroke him to completion and  oozed warm cum that streamed down her fingers. Shuddering within her grasp he regained his senses; both worrisome that he was already fucking her over saying things he was never sure of and exhausted all over again. It seemed the drunken sexcapades combined with being in the constant danger of Murdoc yesterday had taken more out of him than he realized. His chest heaved as he climbed down from the quick climax looking to Meryn seeing her in another light,"Multitaska' ay?"   
  
"Perv," she let go examining the mess that covered a vast majority of her hand. "Izzat...bad?" ashamed of himself 2D tucked the distraction away ruefully awaiting some sort of lecture. "Nope, if you hadn't noticed I'm kinda pervy too," Meryn held the dripping hand out quickly catching the spermy drops with the tissue from the bedside table, that threatened to starch the sheets. "Y-Yew sure yew don' mind ol' this? I jus keep finkin' yeah? And the moar I do, the moar I feel loike I'm usin' yew...," frantically he sat up grabbing the wad of tissue and wiping the globs away. "Tha' whole reason I told'yew we shuld wait til we got back to Plastic Beach, was t'do tha' rioght fing and stop shaggin' yew at evry chance!--But I keep lookin' a'yew and its soooo hard t'keep moi hand t'me self!," the rambling started up again as he tended to the duty he put on himself. Meryn watched him babble in silence, every so often taking notice of his attention to detail ridding her fingers of any residue. Her free hand reached up patting at the cool colored tufts of hair,"I don't feel like I'm being used. You adorable person you." Playfully Meryn grasped his jawline preventing any more negativity from escaping. 2D's cheeks smushed between the firm hold of her fingertips, quieted he stared fixed on the sweetened expression that pulled him forward into a gentle peck on the lips. Silenced, his hand fell to his side holding the tissue that needed to be discarded between the webbing of his fingers.  
  
"I'm the one who started everything...so there's no need to blame yourself. You've been a gentleman thus far," Meryn insisted granting the dumbfounded man with a smile. "Yew still fink so?," 2D smiled back fixing the back of his hair. She became deadly serious for a split second; heavy-lidded and piercing in gaze. "There's something you're not getting D. I like that you're a nice guy, but I never wanted you to hold back on me. Of everyone that I've been with, you are by far the most thoughtful and I...lov--like that about you. However the purely carnal side of me wants to be used by you," her voice was smooth and concise, a little timid grin conveying the submissive nature she'd not thoroughly explored with any man or woman. It was then that she accepted and acknowledged how badly she desired to be had by this man and this man only. Even to the point of acting out and doing things she normally wouldn't. Baffled and aroused by her words, 2D cleared his throat looking off to the corner of the room,"Gotcha."  
  
The sound of relentless knocking disturbed them. "Oi face-ache don't make me come in there!" muffled from the door. 2D jumped at Murdoc's arrival; looking back and forth from her to the door unsure of where he should turn his attention. Meryn gestured tilting her head towards the door,"Go ahead, it's just a matter of hours before you have no more excuses to keep me at bay." By the end of her sentence she was smirking and batting her lashes; even still beckoning him as he climbed off the bed and made his way to the door. Over his shoulder, he shot back a confident smirk that began to stretch from ear to ear at his sure response," Yew make fun now, but in some hours the only fing yew'll be sayin' is moi name, love." He winked chuckling at her stunned expression. Too busy spitting charm at back Meryn, 2D tripped over his feet clumsily stumbling forward into the door. "Oof!," face first he slammed into the wooden door; an automatic migraine starting at the throbbing of his skull. "Be careful!," she winced in concern. Another knock came pounding on the door and was met by an immediate wrenching of the doorknob. 2D flung the door open a bit rattled,"Yew don't hafta knock so loud!"  
  
Murdoc eyed up his grumpy front man, blue hair a mess, shirtless, and a nasty hickey on his neck; eyes trailing over to the girl sat on her knees in bed appearing to be a bit disheveled in dress. He snickered upon realizing,"Finally got to her, did you? Was starting to think you didn't have it in you to seal the deal!" A twitchy hand flew to cover the obvious mark."Uhhhm," 2D changed the subject,"Came t'get me for tha' collabs?" "That's right old buddy, so get yourself looking less bedridden and hurry your bony tail to the cab," Murdoc rolled his eyes, extending a finger to Meryn as well,"You too Ryn, only got this joint for the night so get out before the maid comes. I'm not paying for another one."  
  
Snapping his fingers he reiterated,"I'm serious. I'm not payin'. At all. I'm leaving in 5 minutes with or without you and I have no problem sticking you two with the bill."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation soon in the form of an entire love making chapter. Gots a funeral to attend so I'll try my darndest to type it up before I go~ As always thank you for reading!


	31. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that in England "fanny" means vagina? :D

After the stunt Murdoc pulled, Gorillaz plus Meryn were on the run. The moment Murdoc pulled off and around the street corner there was nothing but drama. From the green man being forced to pay up and dragging the two of them around the rest of the day, it was chaotic. Anticipation had 2D and Meryn silent most of the day; the occasional bashful glance to each other and a look of adoration here and there. No amount of abuse from Murdoc seemed to really bother him at this point. Even his headaches seemed mild in the wake of the two sex-starved bunkmates. It took far too long but at long last, the day came to an end. Side by side in the helicopter, hand in hand they waited patiently for landing. The very moment Plastic Beach came into view a relentless pounding in their chests took over. 2D's grip tightened and he continued to stare straight forward; eyes wide open and completely anxious, his body tensed, every hair on his body standing up at the reality that set in. Soon she would be had.  
  
Meryn held her breath without thinking, frozen where she sat despite the shaking and noisiness of the beating helicopter blades. The only movement from her was the crossing of her legs to accommodate the increasing warmth between them. Tight-lipped she swallowed finally remembering to breathe once the machine shook at Murdoc's amateurish landing. Cyborg Noodle in the sat beside the self-proclaimed captain of Plastic Beach eyeing the both of them in the corner of her glass eyes. Finding the both of them suspicious she seemed at a loss, unable to understand the dorkish grins they wore. The loud beating of the blades came to a slow stop at long last; the sounds of the onboard navigation and control panels beeped and blinked vibrantly almost taking over the orders and snide remarks from Murdoc. A red eye turned to them, followed by a darkened brown iris as their captor turned to gauge a reaction out of either of them. "So--Any plans now that you lot are back where you belong?," Murdoc asked. The question fell on 4 deaf ears that were too caught up in overwhelming desire and lascivious ideas to humor the green man with a response.  
  
The entire way back down to their barracks they followed obediently in silence. Cyborg Noodle's finger on the trigger of the Tommy Gun she'd been armed with watched their movements carefully, pointing at Meryn's back. Lead by 2D, Meryn continuously had a hard time breathing. Eyes stuck on the back of his head she floated down to their cell unaware of the mockings and jokes that Murdoc made. The raspiness of his drawl sounded more like white noise than anything else. The elevator door opened to the same small darkened corridor with the large metallic door that would seal them at long last. Eager 2D drew forward wrenching at the knob perfectly happy to lock himself in and never come back out. The large hand jerked at the door immediately peering over his shoulder to give Murdoc an expecting glare. Meryn looked down at the ground, her entire face glowing red.   
  
"That's the spirit Face-ache! Embracing your fate finally! See what happens when you listen and obey your dear old friend Murdoc?" his tongue rolled out of his chapped green lips, the corners of his mouth pulling into a mischievous grin. Murdoc had never seen either of them so quiet, it was amazing that his behavior warranted no back talk or defiance from Meryn. He glanced at the Cyborg and shrugged, gesturing for the firearm in hand to be retired for now, "Alright then, here you go kiddies." In a matter of seconds, the number pad blinked accepting the entry; the door clicked becoming slightly ajar and in an instant, Meryn was pulled inside. Snickering, Murdoc peered in after them watching them from where they stood a couple inches apart. Her eyes glued to the ground and her breathing pattern horrendously erratic, it seemed she was at her breaking point. Two black orbs trailed to the green man peeking from the doorway; saying nothing, 2D silently extended a hand slowly pushing the door shut. Dark eyes locked on the green man reflected nothingness, 2D's mouth in a straight line didn't move an inch. Perhaps the most serious Murdoc had ever witnessed, the typically spastic and forever boyish frontman brought the door to a close.   
  
The moment they were alone, silence followed after. Nothing but the sound of waves and the underwater current echoing through the metallic walls that surrounded them. 2D closed the distance between them in a single step. He sighed awkwardly; both hands found themselves gently placed along her jawline coaxing Meryn to give him her full attention. Two thumbs grazing across her rosy cheeks, he noticed an innocence emitting from the shy twinkling of her eyes. Completely serious, his brows furrowed into a frown,"Yew din't get cold feet didya?" It took a moment for her to answer, but at the shaking of her head, the hands that had a continuous grasp on her face pulled her entire body forward to mash against his own. "Still wan' me then?," 2D whispered anxiously against her mouth testing the waters before diving in. "Mmhm,"practically moaning already, Meryn's lids lowered into an intoxicated state allowing herself to be taken. Parting her lips the room spun at the abrupt entry of 2D's tongue darting into her mouth. The force alone sent her staggering backward towards the twin bed they shared. The hands left her face sliding down either side of Meryn's body and promptly landing along the small of her back.   
  
The grasp on her back and fingers trailing down her spine caused involuntary arches and flinching to ensue. At the continued joining of their lips, she panted feeling a hand fly up grabbing a fist full of wavy hair and long fingers stretching out latching onto her scalp. "Mm," she moaned against 2D's mouth opening her eyes for a brief moment. In a daze, Meryn could see the two voids staring back at her. So overwhelmed that she found herself jamming her entire tongue back into his own mouth letting her own fingers graze along his imposing build. The dark abysses widened in surprise for a split second and narrowed into an intimidating glare. Back and forth a fight for dominance took place until the Meryn's apparent demise. Unsure of what exactly had come over him; 2D put forth little effort and somehow managed to lift the love drunk woman off her feet. Meryn's arms wrapped around his neck refusing to let go, feet dangling a couple inches from the ground she was under his complete control.  
  
Large hands placed on her wide hips and wrapped around the delicate curves of Meryn's torso holding her perfectly in place. His hold became a tight embrace as the lip-smacking sloppy kiss became more poetic and filled with longing. The lips that met and clung brushed against each other on every other turn of his or her head. The grasp holding her loosened and Meryn gradually slid back to her normal height. First on the tips of her toes and finally on the soles of her feet. Simultaneously they pulled away desperately needing a breath of air, panting in perfect sync until they quieted once again. A few seconds passed and they had attacked each other once again. Hands grazing underneath his shirt and urging him to remove the article of clothing, Meryn moaned into his mouth as if that sufficed for a command. 2D seemed to understand pulling the pesky shirt over head and throwing it off to the side.   
  
She didn't quit, the same hands trailing along the rim of his jeans eagerly unzipped and practically tore the button that held it all together clean off. 2D chuckled in amusement following suit and promptly undressing her. Without removing the snug shirt she wore, he unclasped the bra with the nimble wandering fingers that slid underneath and ghosted along Meryn's spine. With impressive speed, he pulled them both overhead and threw them off along with his own discarded clothing. Heliotrope hair fell down her back, some curls draping over the breasts heaving at every jagged breath. Like a true gentleman, 2D guided Meryn backwards until the backs of her knees collided with the mattress. In a swift movement, they toppled over bouncing onto the springy bed. She squeaked suddenly finding herself pinned; one hand cupped and squeezed her exposed chest the other undoing the binds on her own jeans and immediately gliding underneath the patterned panties that peeked out.   
  
Squirming about at the sudden entry of a long calloused finger, Meryn whined feeling the curling of 2D's index dive into her warmth. Subconsciously her legs parted accommodating the weight that shifted from above; a wide smile started across his face watching the way she moved in response to his touch. Completely enamored 2D tilted his head taking note of each expression he had the privilege of viewing and the cute hitching in her throat. Her own movements helped remove the jeans that were already sliding down her hips and bunching at the thickest part of Meryn's thighs. Suddenly tired of the barrier, 2D turned his attention to removing them entirely. Both hands made themselves available and abruptly snatched the denim down her thighs. It didn't take very long for her legs to become free from the tight binds of the skinny jeans she had worn. Balled up and tossed over his shoulder 2D got a good look at her body in the fluorescent lighting of their prison. All but the little pair of panties hugging at her hips remained.  
  
Uttering no words 2D returned his hands to their rightful places; barreling forward without warning his lips mashed onto hers. Taken back she moaned into his mouth as the lengthy fingers delve back inside; involuntarily Meryn's hips wound forward urging him to go deeper. Seemingly at random, the back and forth of tongues came to a stop. With a smile he disappeared from sight; warm breath ghosting over her mounds, the swirling of his tongue around the pebbled tips of her breasts brought forth a gasp from Meryn's lungs. Between his lips, the sensitive flesh was kneaded into as the roof of his mouth came clamping down and sucking the peaks one after the other. Her skin was soft and sun-kissed in hue. He took a moment to admire his handiwork thus far, pulling back to see the dark red bruises left behind in contrast.  
  
Love in her eyes, she eventually came back to reality at the separation of her skin and his mouth. Blatant undisguised gawking at every cell that made up Meryn's body. Under 2D's careful watch, she couldn't help but look off at the corner of the room,"You're staring D."  "Sowwy," he froze drawing a blank on what he should do or say next. "S-So wha' sort f'stuff are yew into Kat?"2D blurted out loud. Meryn pursed her lips in deep thought still averting her gaze,"Hmm...I guess rough stuff?"  
  
"Loike hittin' in ol'tha?"  
  
"No...just a uh...um...good--"  
  
"A gud fuckin'?" he finished her sentence sporting a coy devious grin. Unoccupied hands shot up from her sides resting along 2D's jawline,"Mmhmm." Surprise flashed across his features, brightening the otherwise sinful look about him. "Heh," he chuckled in a low rumble,"Yer a durty gerl." Having had many women, they were more or less the same. Meryn, on the other hand, continued to baffle him in every way imaginable; mentally, physically, and now intimately. Through her narrowed eyes, she managed to look him in the eye,"And what about you?" Inquiring she cocked her head to the side awaiting a response. "Hm...,"2D thought for a moment; his gaze flickered downward to Meryn's breasts and then back to the growing smug expression stretching across her face. "Boobs?" she cackled raising a brow. "Bewbs are ol'ways a gud fing," nodding he folded his arms across his chest very much proud of his answer. "I agree with you," whispering, Meryn yanked him forward making lip contact with 2D once again.   
  
Body to body, a familiar bulge twitched between them; conscious of the undeniable erection that made its presence  known 2D snickered murmuring against her lips,"Yer babs are real soft, love." Fingers laid on her waistline, making Meryn buck forward with a sharp shriek,"That tickles..." His hands continued to travel south; between the two of them, his hand wandered back to the warmth of her panties. The pads of his fingertips played with the lining of the garment; urging 2D to continue she guided him to remove the article entirely. At the adjustment of his weight, the little pair was slid down her thighs and pulled clean off in one simple motion. Now completely naked she mewled beneath him eager to be taken away.  
  
Once more he pulled away this time taking the opportunity to examine the nude form before him. "Sowwy, I hafta look. I dint get the chance t'before in tha' dark...,"wandering eyes dipped into the captivatingly pink folds begging for his entry. Mischievous, he bit down on his bottom lip, humming with curiosity. A bold finger made circles at the little button clit peeking out from the second pair of lips she had. "Ah," she moaned bucking forward once more yearning for him to touch her again. The gaps between his teeth were in plain sight he was grinning so hard; the protrusion in 2D's pants stuck directly out as if pointing to what it wanted. Giggling at the rock hard member she pointed to the starving erection,"Lay down, D."  
  
Two thick brows rose; his cock twitching again in its bind. The smug grin he had melted off his face, overcome with her sudden command. Blinking twice he obediently climbed off of her laying down beside her on his back. Like clockwork, Meryn bounced to her knees pulling the jeans that had been denying her what she truly wanted for some time now. Aggressive and seemingly angry at the denim for withholding what she desperately wanted to fill her once again, the jeans were snatched off with little effort. Taken back, he wasn't sure if he should laugh or pray for what would become of him the coming hours. The arched ass up view he'd been graced with was stimulation enough; but in a matter of seconds, soft hands grazed over the swelling flesh that needed to be relieved. A cool glossy residue had seeped through his briefs at the tip of his fabric lined cock. Resuming his former position, she climbed atop his tree length body. Traveling down, her mouth eventually met the protrusion. Teasing she closed her mouth around it before reaching inside to expose it completely.   
  
"Mhn," 2D's hips ground forward against her lips. Shy she smiled nervously up at him; his eyes stayed wide in surprise as he watched himself be engulfed. Meryn clamped down around him sliding her tongue along the length of 2D's throbbing cock. It twitched, further hardening in the back of her throat; his toes curled at the edge of the mattress straining and resisting the urge to gasp aloud. Snaggled teeth clenched watching in awe of the way she slowly bobbed up and down on his entire girth, the sensitive member disappearing and reappearing before his eyes. Meryn's warm tongue swirled around the tip lapping away with innocent doe eyes. "Ah God...", he sighed watching her closely. Large hands flew into her hair; fingers ran through tugging at the ends whenever her mouth closed in around him and he shut his eyes taking it all in. Sharply, 2D breathed in before exhaling a shudder and a rather throaty moan," Yer gonna make me cum if yew keep goin' on loike tha'..."  
  
"Hmm?" she hummed, the vibration echoing around him caused another thrust forward into the back of her throat. Meryn gagged, her throat clasping the head of his cock as it closed. "S-Shit, love,"2D bit his lip; voice warbling from deep to his usual cockney-esque drawl. Bobbing back up she released him and was rewarded with a affectionate grazing of his fingertip along the line of her bottom lip. 2D's length bounced back landing against her mouth; back in between her lips pre-cum smeared as she lapped her tongue at the edge of his tip. The small trace of him glistened in the fluorescent light as it trailed down the tip of Meryn's tongue. It disappeared back into her mouth and she swallowed, the sight of this alone was reason enough to burst right here and now. "Mh", 2D gulped with excitement at her lewd behavior. Sighing he wiped the sweat from his brow line; at the passing fist that flicked away perspiration, he noticed her hands busy once again, this time sliding the briefs down his thighs.   
  
2D took it upon himself to help her out and kick the only article of clothing that remained off onto the floor. In the blink of an eye, she was face to face with him again as she sat atop gliding her slit against his bare erection. Positioning herself directly above, a pervy expression beamed up at her. 2D grasped Meryn's hips, examining the bits of pink that would soon take him whole. Strong hands guided her down on him; in an instant 2D was sheathed inside, wincing at the sudden tightness that surrounded his cock. "Fuck...Yer so tight," he panted against her lips, heavy-lidded and heated. The hands that remained on her hips pulled her forward a bit into a deep kiss and shoved her lower half right back down dropping against his thighs. "Mmn~," she whimpered against his lips as he repeated the motion. Purple hair grazed over his chest as Meryn pushed back, catching the rhythm of his hips and grinding along accordingly.  
  
His grip became bruising forcing himself deeper inside at the increase of his speed. Meryn flung her head back, the wild locks falling along her back and curtaining her shoulders. Sat upright she forgot about the silly shy nature that had stopped her from doing what she wanted. Placing her hands upon 2D's heaving chest, she met each thrust into her with a bold bounce back. The more she bounced the harder he slammed back into her; 2D's grip trailed around taking interest in her soft rounded backside and prying apart the other portion of Meryn not thoroughly seen. The bouncing of her breasts caught his full attention watching the hypnotizing motion courtesy of his own motions. "Ohh-G-Gawd," he threw his head back a bit lost for words. The air was being knocked out of her; Meryn gasped at every earth-shattering thrust into her womb. "Auh-ah-Ah-AHh," she moaned taking in a sharp breath at each impact. "Mmnh~,"Meryn cooed, her eyes rolling backward as she became a bit unhinged at the relentless pounding being endured. 2D reared backward jamming everything inside, slamming so hard into her that she barreled forward; closer and closer until their bodies crashed into each other yet again.   
  
"D..." His name came jittery from her mouth, and Meryn sank her teeth into her quivering bottom lip, as a last resort of controlling her voice.  
  
Sweet-scented hair fell forward framing her face, concealing them both in a curtain of warm purple locks. Inches apart, he eyed her up, memorizing every whimper and mewl that fluttered from her bitten kissable lips. The shrill pitch and panicked breathing were music to his ears. "G-Good gerl," he panted against her mouth with a smirk; his right hand freed itself from the painful grip on Meryn's hip. Fingers danced from curl to curl; pulling a good majority of her hair behind her ear and sweeping it behind her to get a good look at her face. "Aww--Y-Yer so kewt," he stuttered feeling the walls further tightening around him. Meryn arched impossibly hard accommodating the otherworldly feeling being brought to forth in the form of 2D's hips rocking into hers.  
  
"aH yew feeL so Gud 'round me," his voice warbled in volume, and he felt himself getting close to the end. Clenching his teeth he suddenly laced his fingers with hers, ceasing the pace they had been at for some time. Wanting to see her entrance again, 2D sat up pulling Meryn into his lap. Looking into her dazed eyes she was frantic; her lips, dry from nonstop panting, were parted by a warm cigarette taste that wormed itself into her mouth sucking on her own oral muscle. Meryn moaned into his mouth as he wrapped both arms around her waist holding her body close, starting where he'd left off. Harder and faster, it seemed 2D was losing himself as well. His throbbing cock fucked her tight little sleeve and irises filled with blood darted everywhere in ecstasy struggling to keep up. From her quivering lips to the oversexed look in her eyes and then below to watch the joining of their bodies. The mixture of two secretions accumulated at his efforts. His thumb made circles on her glossy clit, getting a few squeals in response. Her own voice wavered at the continued harsh rhythm; Meryn's entire body was feeling the effects as 2D fucked her into oblivion.  
  
Devious thoughts had Meryn diving forward, biting down on his jugular vein; tonguing and sucking the already bruised flesh of earlier today. 2D threw his head back; grumbling incoherent nothings, moaning out hopelessly lost in his senses. It only made him slam harder into her harder. "F-Fuck," he hummed in captivation through misting narrowed eyes. The room spun endlessly as Meryn flicked her tongue dragging it back to his lips for a depraved lip lock. The moment she stopped the hickies and love bites, 2D was able to think and he gained control once again holding her hips in place to finish what they started. Ramming into her warm sleeve, his lips desperately pressed back against her own; the kiss becoming open-mouthed, sloppy tongue wrestling. Fond pecks were placed simultaneously upon each other's lips at each breath that was needed, before mashing back into each other connecting at the mouth. Never stopping, 2D's cock being crammed into her warmth was quite literally squeezing the life out of him. This was what he wanted.   
  
For years, since she was 19 and ripe for the picking, 2D longed to experience the body of his dear friend. The fact that he'd kept his hands to himself this long was crazy to him now, and the near 8 year age gap that intimidated him was forgotten. Now 24, Meryn was a full woman come to life before his eyes. Her hair just the way he liked it, like wildflowers and vines in wispy luscious bundles. Spice brown eyes were alive with the life he breathed into her and overwhelmed with tears of pleasure. He didn't know for sure, but he was almost certain that her curves were deeper, more defined and specially made for his large hands to grasp. She was familiar and all new somehow at the same time; soft, warm, feminine, and more importantly full of him. 2D was every bit the man she hoped him to be. No longer that young girl that yearned to know what his bony hips felt like slamming against her, or what he could do with that erection she teased out him years ago. Now she knew what had every girl spreading their legs for him. Nevermind the fact that Stuart "2D" Pot was the strikingly peculiar pretty boy of an internationally recognized band. Screw the people that slighted him, and the girls who broke his heart. The otherworldly sensation of a yielding unconfident man who never bragged about his sex life, was surreal. Meryn didn't know being with a man could feel this good. Sizeable hands with a firm hold on her hips and 7 inches of 2D ramming up inside her, controlled her body, voice, and mind. She'd been made a hand puppet, but in the place of a hand was his thick, throbbing, rock hard cock.  
  
He was close.  
  
Abruptly drawing back from her lips, 2D trembled looking back down to where his body ended and Meryn's began. Her pussy red from the pounding and glistening in a layer of pre-cum and her own vaginal lubrication. So warm and tight, it continuously beckoned him to shove himself deep to fulfill the need of filling her with his hot release. The smacking sound of skin on skin became more audible than both their aching moans of pleasure combined, filling the air with pornographic ambient music. Through serious eyes, he watched intently as Meryn tensed up. The watery brown eyes squeezed shut with the rest of her contorting face; panting and gasping out as the aggressive orgasm began. "Oh my gOD!",her voice hitched, moaning completely crazed at 2D's final thrusts. "I-I'm gonna--!", the sentence went unfinished and her body squirmed sending tremors throughout her weakening form. It was happening. Her walls closed in around him and every hair on his body stood up at attention. He wore a scrambled expression sealing his lips shut and swallowed hard the urge to blubber. Furrowing his brows, he tried and tried to hold it in, but his thin lips came undone panting at the declaration of his limit,"C-Cumming!"  
  
"Ah! Ah! D-ahh-f-fuCK," Meryn whimpered overwhelmed, a shrill raunchy scream tearing through the air at the end of the broken sentence she whined out. She cooed and hummed in bliss feeling a rush of pleasure wash over her as her body went stiff from head to toe. "Aa-Hah-Tch!",2D's head flung back, joining her in bliss. His imperfect teeth barred as a nearly primal hiss bellowed from within,"Tsssss-fuuUUuuck!" He couldn't stop himself, he had to bury himself deep, or he would die, he was sure of it. The thrusts didn't stop or slow, his hips kept coming forth to pump her full and then some. "Mmmn-F-Fuck...shit...", his voice broke halfway slamming into her one last time, the contents emptied into her, leaking out where she sat atop him. "Bloody 'ell Kat...," biting down on his lip he felt every possible drop be pulled out of him leaving him terribly drained. 2D's grip wobbled, becoming weak at the gut-wrenching ejaculation. Shakily his view trailed from her breasts glistening in the heat of the moment, to the result of this encounter. Below the two of them were glazed in the mix, specifically white liquid pooling at her thighs.   
  
Quieting down and catching their breath, 2D's desperate shaky breaths came to a stop. He shuddered, losing the grip that held her in place causing Meryn to fall backward. With a quick swoop of his elongated arm, he managed to catch her mostly limp and clumsy form along his forearm. No longer fully on his lap, he could see every single enticing fold not yet committed to memory. He glanced to view her expression only to see half opened eyes looking back at him. It appeared that her soul might've left her body. "Yew O.K.? Blink once f'yeah and twice f'no," voice still a bit rickety he laughed at the amount of energy he exerted just trying to speak, nodding to himself at the simple fact that it was well worth it.  
  
Meryn blinked slowly just once, taking a deep breath and whimpering in complete exhaustion. Curiosity kept 2D from passing out inside her; his freed hand spread the pink folds looking on in awe of his current location. His index finger placed on her extremely sensitive clit, brought her hips involuntarily bucking forward. This affected him as well as she clamped around his spent member a fiery feeling burned in the pit of his stomach. 2D winced at the heat, still managing to grin like an idiot through the painful yet amazing feeling. The other fingers traced the hole he was still partly inside of; sticky traces came back once he pulled them away, dripping down his fingertips. The same old snaggle-toothed grin tore across his chipper face,"Cute little fanny yew've got." Snickering he admired the lagged bashful response just then registering on Meryn's face moments later.  
  
"Noice lil' bean too,"2D mumbled rubbing her sensitive nub again. She flinched, her lips puckered into a pout,"...Embarrassing." "Sowwy, loike I said earlier, I din't get a gud look las'night," he explained again wondering if she'd even heard him the first time. Slowly pulling out, 2D gently placed her on the bed becoming a little embarrassed himself at the way his semi-hard cock plopped against her entrance. All the cum he'd unloaded spilled out of her onto his tip,"T-Tha's moar than I thought..." Meryn meekly brought her knees to her chest,"Mmhm."  
  
2D gave her a strange look, tilting his head in confusion,"Why're yew doin' tha'? There's a seat rioght here love!" Cackling he slapped his bare skinny thighs hissing at his own corny attempt of humor. "I'm not too heavy?" she asked mumbling against her knees. He beamed, grinning from ear to ear,"Nah, take a seat! Or if yer feelin' sleepy--Go on and lie down! I won' bite--Unless yer into tha'!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to cum. HAH!


	32. Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one but more to come as usual.

Groggy, the perception of time increased and decreased erratically between blinks. In one moment, Meryn sat atop him, in the next she was falling backward caught just before plopping onto the mattress by the swift extension of his arm. 2D smiled mouth agape in amusement, gold peeking out between teeth gleamed in the fluorescent lighting. He was speaking but she remained unable to concentrate on the words coming out of his mouth. Although dizzied she blinked herself to attention furrowing her brows in attempt to come back down to earth from the otherworldly sensation of being intimate with a man she legitimately yearned to be with. Meryn's eyes widened becoming more aware of their surroundings following the exit of the member stuck inside her and the fact that 2D was currently poking around in sensitive areas.   
  
"Embarrassing...," she murmured slowing bringing her knees to her chest. For a moment she closed her eyes, feeling the forearm that balanced her spine gently settle her weight onto the mattress below them. Self-conscious, Meryn held her knees tight blinking back to reality whilst the chatty man examined the delicate bits of her body. _ **Thwack thwack!**_ The sudden sound of slapping on skin got her attention. "Why're yew doin' tha'? There's a seat rioght here love!" cackling 2D slapped his bare skinny thighs hissing at his own corny attempt of humor. Despite the intensity of the act she'd just taken part in, the deviance that fueled her had receded and left behind an insecure weakling. "I'm not too heavy?"she asked mumbling against her knees. Terrene eyes flickered from the sheets of the bed to the man beaming and grinning from ear to ear,"Nah, take a seat! Or if yer feelin' sleepy--Go on and lie down! I won' bite--Unless yer into tha'!"

Try as she might, it was somehow difficult to give him a genuine smile. Stuck in her head, Meryn barely noticed the nervous and shifty movements happening nearby. Worrisome, lengthy arms extended to her falling firmly atop her bare shoulders. Blue hair flung to the side at the tilt of 2D's head in puzzlement; at first hesitantly, and then overtaken by his concerns. "Meryn?" he called her by name fearful that he'd done something wrong. The usual warm brown irises appeared to be black with her pupils widened to an alarming extent. 2D's shoulders fell a bit, hangdog in stature. Inwardly he wondered if this was what people saw when they looked at him. Blank dark eyes with no inkling of life within.  
  
The black windows flinched at the rise of her brows, Meryn's pupils becoming the size of pins in her stare. Slowly a gradual smile crept across her face, bringing light back to her features. Sporadically she placed her chin onto the tops of her knees, the smile widened to reveal the small front gap 2D rarely saw. "Sorry, I guess I'm tired," she giggled at the end of her words reaching for the arm that went limp moments ago. With a deep sigh, Meryn settled letting her legs fall apart. In the two seconds it took to re-position her self on her knees she noticed for a millisecond the dip in his line of sight to the area that had his attention prior. The blood filled orbs flickered back to view the softened expression on his lovers face,"Mmkay, if yew say so Kat."   
  
Delicate fingers were placed in the palm of his hand soothing the skepticism nagging away in 2D's head. Without much thought, he laced his long rough fingers with hers clasping over the back of Meryn's hand pulling her forth to lie beside him. She obediently went along, half-way crawling to his side. "Oh wait a minute!,"2D squeezed her hand, the other colliding with his forehead in exasperation. "We shuld--Prolly be under tha blankets--Bein' in tha nude in ol'...," embarrassed by his lack of grace he snickered under his breath looking away at the ugly green carpet on the floor. The long legs of woman swung over his body wordlessly standing to her feet, she grabbed with her free hand a random unused napkin off the floor wiping 2D's DNA from between her legs. Hand still held, she yanked at his arm,"Gotta get up then D." With puppy eyes 2D nodded, awkwardly lifting himself off the bed. The moment he did, Meryn quietly lifted the sheets sliding underneath in a swift motion. Hair like wildflowers lined the fabric draping over the single pillow they shared. Blanket held up by her hand she invited him to slide in next to her.  
  
2D's lanky body settled in tossing the covers over his shoulder. Sheepishly he shimmied close until they came face to face. Propping himself up on his elbow he shifted to his side as well joining Meryn in yet another silent stare. "I'm sorry I'm so...awkward," blurted out from once tightly mashed together lips. "Yer forgettin' tha' I am too!" he scoffed flashing a dumbfounded look in his eyes. "But yer loike...," pausing his eyes shifted from left to right, trying to complete the thought that came to him. "Like...?," Meryn nudged his shoulder from the warmth of the covers. "Loike a uhm...puzzle. Yeah! A puzzle!"2D nodded satisfied with his metaphor. "Hard t'figure out! Dunno if I told ya, but I'm no gud at puzzles. Gerls...sudoku...games in the loike...,"trailing off his expression went blank. Air-headed at his own explanation.   
  
"Heh, it's not just you. I don't get me either,"sighing Meryn managed a smile. "Diddddd...touchin' yew loike I did earlier make yew feel weird?," 2D asked in curiosity. Brown eyes flicked everywhere as she squirmed unsure of how to answer,"I'm-I'm shy I guess."  
  
_'Is little Ryn being shy?_  
_Don't be like that, you're prettier when you're loud!_  
_When it's just me and you, you don't need to be shy. See? It doesn't hurt anymore, just like I promised! Let me see....Yep! No red this time, only pink!'_  
  
The vivid memory of hands that examined her for injury ghosted at her womanhood. Every cell on Meryn's body cringed at the recall; gone completely stiff and holding her breath she pushed aside the horrid memories of 14 years ago. "Yew gonna tell me wot's REALLY wrong?" concern heavy in his eyes 2D rose an eyebrow. He wasn't as dense as everyone pinned him to be, the entire time he had been paying attention. "I don't know how"she weakly replied taking a much-needed breath. "Here's how yew do it--Yew do it loike this! Ahem!,"he cleared his throat. "2D somefings wrong wiff me and I can't sort out why!," speaking in third person he pointed to himself,"And then I say--Uhm-Whateva' it is yeah--I won't let it getcha! And if it tries, it has t'go through me!" He seemed quite pleased with himself, sporting a wide gap-toothed grin. Meryn stifled in laughter loosened up a bit,"I'll have to try your approach."  
  
"Mmkay then, go on," he nudged back, failing to sense what she meant by her words. "R-Right now?!," she stuttered for a reply. The staring voids refused to look away from her waiting for an attempt to be made. "Um...2D?," Meryn forced herself to comply, his actual name felt strange coming out her mouth being so used to the nickname 'D'. "Mmhmm?," he blinked a few times nodding his head in encouragement. "It just...reminded me of my sister's boyfriend when I was a kid...that's all," she stopped short avoiding explaining any further. Thick brows furrowed not quite understanding what she was implying,"Whadya mean by tha'? Some bloke did wha I did?? When yew were--" Surprise and realization flashed on his face, pulling his mouth into a prominent frown of disgust,"Oh...rioght." Silence filled the small space between them for a moment before 2D spoke again. A mix of disdain and worry pulled at his expression; black eyes filled with woe and contempt for a man who didn't exist to him moments ago. "I din't mean t'forget Kat...I know yew've been hurt a lot but it slipped me mind tha' it...started f'yew so.......young,"2D's voice was low and careful as if he was afraid he'd frighten her. "It's O.K....I've never actually talked you about the past. Even if you heard it from that background check back then, I never expected you to remember the details," Meryn swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to put on a happy face.  
  
Pitch black eyes narrowed in disagreement,"S'not O.K..." Muttering incomprehensible disgruntled rants, he cursed himself for not remembering who it was he had in his bed. Meryn was sturdy and could handle herself, he'd seen the evidence a few times before and knew she had the tendency to be...dangerous. Eyes on her, he studied her nature; at the moment Meryn was awkward and uneasy. The shifting of her eyes told him she felt guilty and was embarrassed of her flaws; this was the same person who broke his ex-girlfriend's nose, choked out two men on separate occasions, stepped in between himself and Murdoc whilst fighting and more recently decked the green man in the face! To 2D, she was strong and admirable, beauty was just a pleasant bonus! But as strong as she was, Meryn was no doubt still human. He'd seen her angry, petty even. Disappointed. Hurt. Silly. Awkward and inelegant but always remaining true to her good-nature. "It's ol' yew," he accidentally blurted out after unknowingly being silent for some time.  
  
Flabbergasted, Meryn stammered in confusion,"W-What? What's 'all me'?"  
  
"Yew,"2D answered plainly. He ignored the perplexity registering on her face that resulted from his lack of explanation, instead taking interest in the pooch of her lips. The elbow arm he leaned on stretched out from its fixed position gliding along the pillow to cup the cheek that rest against the soft surface. The broad hand worked its way under gaining a good grasp on Meryn's jaw. The darkness of starless space millimeters away narrowed to a close at the soft contact of their lips pressing together. What was gentle became full of meaning at the closing of her own eyes. The warmth of two bodies closing in together sent electricity down both their spines. 2D's free hand grazed over the defined curve of her waist settling on the small of Meryn's back. Her own hand shot out grasping his broad shoulder while the other slid underneath him pulling his body ever closer to hers. The little peaks and rounded mounds pressed against his chest, their middles met every so often before mashing together at the sudden possessive embrace Meryn couldn't contain. She clung to his body never breaking lip contact; the large hand on the small of her back traveled up her spine and back down again. Playful fingers curled at her hip and traveled along the thigh that had since draped over his own leg.  
  
Loving feminine fingers trailed along 2D's jawline grazing over the short stubble from his last shave and diving into the aquatic colored hair behind his ear. The fingertips spread along his scalp, the pressure applied was met with a low moan that rumbled against her lips. She answered with the roll of her tongue requesting entry. Immediately he let her in; the hand situated on her thigh shot up to caress her cheek at the insertion of his own tongue lapping back in response. His calloused thumb grazed up and down her own jawline affectionately finding the movement of her mouth enticing. It went on like this for what felt like hours, a passionate lip-lock with no signs of fatigue. "Hmm," he hummed against her lips. Breaking away for a brief moment, 2D sighed into the hair against the pillow murmuring a question," Tis it O.K. if I make love t'yew?"   
  
Meryn's heart stopped in disbelief of what she just heard. "Din't say I did, Kat...it's jus somefing I wan' t'do wiff yew," he continued speaking into her hair, no need to lift his head to guess what she was thinking. _Oh._ She swallowed the disappointment, silently pushing aside such foolish thoughts. "I wanna do it f'yew if yew'll let me, I really REALLY like yew,"mumbling into the locks he peeked through one eye curious of her reaction. The expression she wore was unreadable. Worried that he messed it up some how he abruptly sat up taking half the covers with him,"Not ol' us guys are bad and well...since I'm not gud wiff words I wanna give ya wha' I can--Only if ya say so though! If nawt we culd jus go t'sleep or somefink--Nawt that I'm complainin' bout it I jus--"  
  
"Show me what it's like," she interrupted his rambling in request. Taken back a bit he bit down on his bottom lip,"Yew never had tha' happen?" The intensity in her earth tone eyes glowed up at him. Quietly she shook her head maintaining her longing gaze. "I'm honored...Meryn,"2D beamed gently placing an open palm on her hip; grasping at her skin he pushed her legs apart guiding her to lie on her back. Wasting no time, he settled on top of her in between her thighs. Both his hands wandered along the length of her torso cupping her breasts, each of them receiving a tender squeeze. Her eyelids lowered watching the thoughtful way he treated her body. Noting the concentration and the furrowing at his brow as he seemed to be putting forth his best efforts. With a bashful small smile, he disappeared below. Both curious and confused as to what he was doing, she started to sit up only to be pressed back down by the extension of his arm from underneath the covers. Slightly covered tufts of blue hair stuck out from the blanket along with the elongated arm that grabbed at her breasts. A wet warm heat lowered itself down on her vulva and she knew exactly what it was that 2D was going to do.  
  
"You don't have to do--,"she started to protest being silenced by the oral muscle that eagerly lapped at her core. His tongue flicked at the little nub between the folds of her skin and along the inner pink ones trembling for more. "It-It's dirty, you just c-came remember?," Meryn whimpered through frazzled breaths. He didn't seem to mind with the way he plunged his tongue into her vaginal entrance. The hot quivering sensation licked and kneaded around the hole he had just been inside of about an hour ago. "Aah-hah," she took sharp breaths, her bronze tone cheeks becoming a tad flushed in the heat of it all. Little circles were drawn with the tip of his tongue, long laps and savory glides being placed all over. Everything came spiraling inward at the swirling sensation around her clit. Moaning into the otherwise silent air, Meryn's hips ground forward wanting to feel the sensation again. With skill he orally met all of her needs, bringing her to a heavenly plane; especially when his lips clasped over the sensitive bundle of nerves lightly sucking and pleasing her swelling clit. With one last long suckle he let her go.  
  
"Mmnnh," Meryn mewled, her hips bucking forward in response. 2D hummed against her womanhood the vibration causing satiny lubrication to gradually overflow from her entrance. "Yer not durty, pretty sweet actually," the covers were tossed over his head revealing the dopey smile tugging at his lips. Teasing he stuck out his tongue licking once more for the hell of it. "Mm, loike marmalade," his tongue dripped a bit of the translucent globs. A finger inserted inside of her came to her surprise, her hips coming forth once more yearning to be occupied by his length. 2D kissed the second pair of lips on her body, practically making out with her ardent pussy before turning his attention to the love drunk silly expression on her face. The man climbed up her body peering into her eyes that remained full of longing. Her back arched in desperation just wanting to be held or body to body with him again.   
  
2D licked his lips leaning forward to give her a proper kiss. Heart fluttering and head spinning, Meryn tongued with him in an open-mouthed frenzy. Against her stomach the hardness she'd felt before poked out between them, her legs tightened around his hips accordingly, ready and begging to be loved by him. With a patient sigh, he pulled away,"Ready?" Above he positioned himself perfectly at her warm entrance, eyeing her in question before he pushed forward. Meryn nodded only once and was filled to completion. Engorged and delighted to be back within her hold, 2D moaned in content,"Ahh yew feel better evry time." Through her lashes she could see him moving atop of her each time his cock became completely buried inside he flinched vocalizing the ecstasy in low tone rumbles. Tight-lipped in the beginning, Meryn tried to control her voice only letting soft stifled mewls sound from her throat. But it didn't take long for her lips to part allowing the moans and whimpers take over.  
  
"Aaaa~," she gasped out feeling a firm grasp on her hips. The tips of his fingers clenched putting more power into his thrusts. Meryn's hands trembled having nothing to do and 2D took notice of this immediately pinning her hands above her head. Surprise in her eyes, she smiled sweetly back at him. A smile of his own reflected back, jagged teeth biting on his bottom lip overstimulated by the sight of her body being brought higher and higher with every roll of his hips. Bountiful breasts bounced and shook at every mind-boggling thrust, her voice becoming increasingly pornographic as time went on. The bangs of her hair stuck to her forehead in the hot humidity of their panted breaths. Hovering an inch above in close proximity of his face, Meryn was graced with the changing intensity in his eyes and the quivering of his lip beginning to lose his edge. Euphoria was near; the vigor in his movements inching her closer and closer. Cock stuffed into her womb she could barely comprehend the joy being brought to her. Lovestruck she giggled in glee somewhat delirious until the orgasm that was building up and came crashing down. Frantically she panted out, eyes narrowed and tears forming. Elation shining in her eyes she gasped once more before becoming a mess of jumbled up words. Nothing uttered but the feverish coos of bliss. 2D's breath became shaky as he followed after, he lowered his head letting everything flow into her once again. After the tremors of his ejaculation and the surge of his release was seeded within her walls, he rest his forehead to hers.  
  
Neither of them able to see anything but a blur of the person they cherished they took their time catching their breaths. Half asleep, 2D sighed,"Kat? I fink I'm gunna die." Meryn blinked herself awake tapping his shoulder and whining in a kittenish yet fatigued drawl,"Don't diiiiie, I'll miss you..." Peering through his half-open eyes, a lighthearted smile lined his lips.  "Aww," he chuckled collapsing beside her,"Come 'ere." With the little energy she had, she shimmied close resting her head on his chest. The rising and falling was already lulling her to sleep. The consistent thumping of his heart acted like a lullaby allowing sleep to take over instantly. One dark eye peeked down at the sleeping delicate woman seemingly at peace. "Heh heh,"2D cackled, lightly playing with the ends of her hair. The purple strands twiddled between his thumb and index finger until gradually his dark voids came to a close, granting him the rest he so badly needed.


	33. Everyday Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short-ish one. >.<

A large puff of smoke blew out from gapped teeth rising into the air. A lot less cheery than usual, 2D looked off in defiance putting out the lit, half-finished cigarette in between his fingertips. His eyes aimlessly studied the clouds and the open ocean he hadn't the luxury of seeing whenever he chose. Whenever he'd been dragged to the upper levels of Plastic Beach for another forced recording session, he took the time to appreciate the shades of blue that panned out beyond the windows. Seeing the orange and neon green of the underwater bunker every day he had begun to hate them for simply existing. Suddenly receiving his usual head pains, his newly freed hand clamped against his aching forehead, the other hanging limp where it lay against his knee.

Adamant about making the comeback a success, Murdoc had been pulling 2D from his quarters a lot as of late. At random, the green man would come barging in; occasionally just to ruin the alone time with his cellmate, by the smug devilish grin he wore each time even 2D could see it was just to bother him. On a yawn, his mouth boor open as he aimlessly tapped the tips of his fingers against his skull. Suddenly a loud snap in his ear brought him out of the trance he'd been in. Unamused, he sighed giving Murdoc his full attention. A slight frown tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Don't give me that look," the green man shoved at 2D's shoulder. "You should be happy since you're done for the day, yeah? Now you can go back to stuffing Rrrrrryn up like a Christmas stocking!", snickering he dragged out the constant in her name, his voice vibrating through the air like a motorboat. Underneath the greasy black hair, his brows rose suggestively nudging at the tiresome frontman once again. Head swiveling 2D shot a stern look at the griping man for a moment before deciding he was far too fed up to even attempt a retort. With another hefty sigh, he rose to his staggering height from the spot he'd been glued to for hours on end, walking himself out of the Plastic Beach studio. The cyborg fixed by the door watched as he practically paced to the elevator; eerily expressionless and wide-eyed she stared a hole into his back.  
  
As disturbing as it was the glare went unnoticed by him, 2D's head somewhere else entirely. The ping of the elevator's arrival was barely registered, only the sudden opening of the doors got his attention nearly giving him a heart attack. A large palm held his chest shaken quite a bit for something so simple as he sauntered inside. His back against the wall, 2D blankly stared at the metal flooring trying his best to ignore the added presence of Murdoc approaching. "Oi!," he shouted driving his unkempt hands in between the closing elevator doors. "Where do you think you're going off by yourself exactly?" his voice rose into a baffled scoff as he barreled inside. Setting the floor levels on the panel, the satanist's head shook from side to side as he set the wiring to make their descent possible,"You know how it goes, I gotta make sure you stay put."   
  
"Yeh yeh," 2D sighed a bleak reply, the rolling of his pitch black eyes undetectable to the geriatric man that continuously reminded him of the freedom he wouldn't be granted for some time. Sharp nail digging into his pointed ear, Murdoc grunted pressing the button,"You'd do well to drop the attitude mate." The elevator began its descent, shaking the car as it lowered down the shaft. 2D opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. He had never been so frustrated in all his life, even considering the history and dynamic of their relationship. For as long as Murdoc had been in his life, there'd been copious amounts of physical and mental abuse, but somehow it all paled in comparison. Instead, he frowned, sucking in a sharp breath with his teeth,"Tch." A free spirit, he disliked being limited to where he could go or when and although he had someone alongside him, it was affecting 2D more so than Meryn.  
  
The bell sounded a second time, this time at the arrival of the underwater level. Before the door to his cell, 2D had started to become too numb to the process of being put away for Murdoc to inevitably use again. Days ago, he would beg and plead as if his words would somehow reach the living corpse and bring about a change of heart. But after so many attempts, he'd stopped asking. In contempt he glared daggers at the back of the man in question who held both their freedoms, watching as he fiddled with the number padlock for the cell door. Seconds later the large metal door clicked, creaking as it became ajar and releasing the familiar scent of the woman he shared a room with. "Right then. In you go!," Murdoc turned grabbing 2D by the arm, swinging him forward for the door. Flung forth he caught himself before slamming into the door, shooting a look over his shoulder. No longer feeling much of anything, his hand reached out pushing the door open. Light from inside brightened the small walkway, his eyes adjusting traveled across the brightly colored carpet to the half-dressed  Junoesque body lying comfortably on the small bed. In an instant, the look of detachment melted off of 2D's face being replaced with a small tender smile.  
  
"Humm," he snickered, the small smile becoming a wide dopey grin at the sight of her lax position. On her back, leg propped up on her knee and crossed over aimlessly bopping her foot in the air. Earbuds in her ears she didn't notice either of them. Staring at the handheld game hovering inches from her face, only the light of the LCD screen brightening up her focused expression. For the first time in hours, real emotion bloomed from within, the sight both endearing and arousing due to lack of pants that left her scantily clad backside in plain view. In no time, the disdain for Murdoc was forgotten and 2D found himself stepping forward with nothing but the cheeky hipster panties in sight, from this angle it looked a lot like an upside down heart. Noting the slightly raised area in between her legs, he could already feel her sweet walls closing around him. From remote to a drooling moron 2D thoughtlessly flung his arm back pushing the door to a close.  
  
It nearly slammed shut but bounced back from the forgotten presence in the doorway. Unaware of the impending doom from behind, he started for her in a straight line, only to have the spit knocked out of his mouth from the impact of Murdoc's swift backhand colliding against his unsuspecting face. A loud 'pop' sounded from wall to wall followed by the yelp of a very distressed 2D. "OOF!," he stumbled, almost toppling to the floor; a hot, stinging pain burned his cheek where he was struck. "Watch what you're doing you bell end! I was ogling Ryn as much as you were and then you go slamming the fuckin' door in my face!,"Murdoc spat complaining in a childish manner, shoving the already shaken man aside. "Why'd yew do tha'?! Fhought yew left ol'ready anyhow!"2D barked back holding his pulsating right cheek. "Have you finally gone completely brain dead and consequently heard nothing I just told you? Or are you just too stupid to comprehend it?!," a red and brown eye rolled as he crossed his arms impatiently sneering at the lack of attention. Split nail beds tapped at the metal door frame his eyes momentarily leaving the feeble blue haired man and suddenly taking notice of the unanticipated presence that joined them near the door. A blur of violet and sun-kissed bronze was all that registered as the large door came back full force slamming into his face.  
  
2D blinked his mouth slightly ajar from shock. He remained frozen where he stood, his hand still firmly pressed to his cheek. Meryn sported a mischievous yet comforting grin, her head tilting concerned with the affliction that just befell him. "Satan, Ryn!," came muffled from the small crack of the door. With force, she brought the remainder of space to a close rolling her eyes at the protest from beyond. "You're more likable when you're not being a stingy little cunt!" yelled muffled from the other side. Wordlessly she kicked at the door, the gong that rang through the metal sufficing as a retort. Sucking her teeth she rolled her eyes returning her attention to 2D. "Are you O.K--?," Meryn started, being cut off and pulled into a hurried embrace. More like a flying hug from a man with a stature greater than her own, she found herself stumbling backward a bit on the balls of her feet. Lengthy arms wrapped around her neck, firmly holding her head against his shoulder,"Fhanks, love." A bit stunned, Meryn stiffened teetering on her heels off balance in this position. "A-Always," she turned her head mumbling against his chest with a smile. Thick wavy hair pillowed the forearms that held his roommate in place, a curious hand patted at the soft waves extending down her back. Humming in amusement, he spoke into wispy locks atop her head,"Poofy."  
  
  
After what felt like awhile 2D finally released her, allowing her to gain more comfortable footing. Shy she stared at his feet for a moment."Did you miss me or something?",Meryn murmured trying to hide just how giddy the embrace had made her. "Of course I did!" he easily proclaimed, raising his voice with excitement. "Been havin' t'put up wiff loooooads moar crap from Murdoc!," he vented bringing an open palm to his face after the pain of the earlier slap resurfaced. Warm toned eyes made proper eye contact, a tiny smile beginning to blossom on her lips. "Bad day at work ?" she joked finding the situation somewhat reminiscent of a domestic lifestyle. For a moment, it seemed the joke went over his head, in the next 2D was vibrating in laughter,"Hah yeah! A pretty shite day a' the office--One day yeah? I'll muster up tha courage t'quit!" Only half joking, she nudged at his shoulder,"Then why don't you?"  
  
"Hmmm," thinking to himself, 2D held his chin his eyes squinting in deep thought. Dragging his feet he walked past in silence, jumping once he'd come up with something,"Mortgage! Annnnd liddle Timmy's college fun!" Meryn snickered,"You mean college **fund**?" "Iunno, I figured there was a fee for fun activities! It's what parents are ol'ways talkin' bout in American movies!" he stammered a little embarrassed by his confusion. "And little Timmy is?" she leaned forward in question. "Our pretend kid, we're playin' house aren't we?," as the words left his mouth, he became aware of the hypocrisy in his statement. Even if it was a joke, it was more than he could say for any of the existing children he shirked the responsibility of. It seemed that Meryn had been thinking the same thing, even someone as dense as 2D caught on to the uncomfortable expression she wore and awkward way she swayed while trying to think of something else to talk about. "Heh probably sounds rich comin' frum me don'it!?," he made a joke at his own expense, hoping she would at least find some humor in his failures.   
  
"...If we were rich we could afford the mortgage," Meryn shrugged choosing to continue to joke rather than confront the raising question. Although she graced him with a kind smile, 2D saw through it. "Bothers yew doesn't it?" he mumbled, watching her expression in the corner of his eyes. Silenced, Meryn only managed to shake her head. "Yew don't gotta lie t'me Kat," saddened, his face fell. Blue hair draped over hiding his expression, the only tell-tale for where his mind currently resided in the finicky tapping at his thigh. She sighed hating how this turned out and wishing she'd never made the joke, to begin with. Unsure of what to say she eventually forced words to diffuse the situation, "I...just don't think I have the right to comment on something like that...it doesn't involve me so--"  
  
"Do yew at least still wan' me 'round?"2D blurted out before she could complete the thought. Meryn smiled,"Yeah...Duh." Playfully she stuck out her tongue folding her arms across her chest as she made her way for the bed. Plopping down, she bounced in place averting her gaze in thought. Before long she managed to pull herself together and offer a reassuring nod,"I still liked you after I found that out, remember?"   
  
"Y-Yeah now tha' yew mention it, I do."  
  
Sighing deeply, Meryn threw head back in frustration,"Do you really want to know what I think regarding your...kids?" Before he could register what she said, her hand tapped the padded surface next to her,"Sit next to me?" 2D's head rose from the ashamed hangdog stupor, the two voids looking to the woman showing him kindness. The gentle look in her eyes and the bare legs extending from the random T-shirt she wore brought his feet obediently to her side. In silence he settled beside her resting his elbows on his stick-like legs, his thumbs twiddling above the large gap between his legs. "I don't erm...finish in gerls anymoar. Haven't in years, until...uhm yew Kat,"slowly his head turned towards Meryn. Burgundy irises staring at the snug fit of the shirt she wore and how it hugged at the defined curves. Trailing back up to look Meryn in the eyes, his mouth curved into a wry yet worried gap tooth smile. Embarrassed at his words she looked back wide-eyed and awkward,"O-oh..."  
  
"S'not tha' I'm tryna get yew...well uh...preggo--It's jus tha' I culdn't stop moiself frum--Iunno why but I loike jizzin' yew up moar than gerls before--," he yammered on never once completing any of the thoughts he started. Slightly rattled, Meryn's nails dug into the mattress. Promptly her thighs glued shut in efforts to avoid being turned on by the bold words flying from his mouth. "I had too much fun back then, got wiff loads of gerls back in Eastbourne when I was werkin' at me old man's fun fair...Then month's later they ol' turn up claiming I fathered some kids!" he shook his head recalling the shock that came with that revelation. "So I told moiself, I said,'Stop spunkin' Stu!'...I-It was an acronym I came up wiff, the three S's."  
  
"PFFFT," air forced out from Meryn's lips as she practically howled with laughter. "Are you serious?!," she snickered trying to contain the mocking nature that so badly wanted to poke fun. "Y-Yeah-W-WELL IT WERKED!," his voice rose again, this time cracking in exasperation. "What happened to the three S's that night in Santiago?!," she snorted covering her mouth. "I woz drunk!" his arms flew into the air defending his moral efforts before the night in question. "It's fine D. I thought I told you, I like when you cum inside me,"the mocking receded in lieu of the flirtatious urges that were begging to be heard. His brows rose in delight,"Y-Yeah? Well I culd tell. The ferst days back 'ere yew damn well drained me!" With a smirk, her head tilted taking note of a subtle but noticeable growing intensity in his eyes. Vision trailing down the length of his body, 2D's leg bounced in impatience, or perhaps restlessness.   
  
"You liked it."

Defeated with a simple statement he cackled acknowledging the truth behind her words,"F'course, love. As long as yew wan' it I'll make sure yeah? Tha' yew stay gud and full." Meryn gulped, swallowing the urge to ask him to fulfill that want right here and now,"Good to know." Dorkish laughter bellowed from his lungs, one eye narrowed in all seriousness as he shook amused,"Somefing on yer mind?" Fuller lips tightened in attempt to hold her tongue. "Yew sure?" his tongue lapped out licking his lower lip. Seconds later, she found herself on her back of her own accord as 2D loomed into her personal space. "Humm,"hovering over her, he took this moment to let his eyes wander. A hand cupped Meryn's jaw, gliding down the rest of her body giving attention to some parts more than others. Fingers grazed over her clothed breasts, curving once in contact with her waist firmly grasping at the narrowest part of her middle. "Yew wan' it rioght now too, don'ya Kat?" he asked in the low rumble that beckoned her time and time again. Adamant on keeping her mouth shut she looked past him. 2D pouted,"Not lyin' are ya?" Leaning in, his body lowered to hers. Hips pivoting to lie atop her, their middles grazed over each other until they met.  
  
Meryn trembled, her lids lowering along with her fleeting pride. As he closed in above the last thing she saw was the darkness of his eyes ironically containing a fiery intensity, and then true darkness as they made contact. Lips pressed against her own, 2D's tongue pried her mouth open darting inside searching for a response. "Mmh, yew wan' somefing frum me but yer not sayin' it love," he moaned suggestively into her mouth urging a confession. Her head spun in amazement as his lips locked back with hers. Such ardor in the way he latched to her mouth with open-mouthed heated pressure. With force, her head was yanked in different directions to accommodate the push and pull of the make-out session he engaged. "Mm," a little moan escaped from her into his mouth. Through the warmth and saliva, he ended it all with a lip-smacking release.  
  
Briefly, he looked into her eyes, a smile starting across his face at the heavy-lidded smitten girl below. "Yer gonna make me guess?" he whispered, feeling the heat of her breath in the pants that puffed out. "Hm?"2D asked again licking her quivering bottom lip. His hand grazed over her cheeks becoming a prominent red hue, a finger pulling curiously at the corner of her mouth intrigued by the swelling tongue held inside and the pooling saliva at her teeth. The hand opposite pushed her legs apart, grazing over the only thing that covered her nether regions. A single finger slid underneath making circles on the little nub that craved attention. "It's moi cum tha' yew wan',  rioght?,"2D asked his lips ghosting against hers once more.   
  
"Rioght?"  
  
A slow nod started, the feeling being brought to her too good to continue the facade,"Mmhm."   
  
2D pulled away victorious with a coy grin. The fingertip teasing her ceased the movement being replaced with the very same long finger pressing against her entrance. Meryn whined not expecting an insertion as of yet. The same low hum buzzed in her ear at the descent of his mouth to her neck. His lips parted and the warm tongue slid over her skin; suddenly teeth sank into her skin being followed after with a relentless suction that broke the blood vessels lining the area of her neck. "A-AaahH," Meryn gasped out loud, her entire body becoming stiff at the arching of her back. Eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched her hips moved on their own grinding forward in desperate need of more. The arch in her back rose erratically along with the kneading of her flesh. A consistent gasp and moan began at the biting and sucking over the same spot he'd been toying with for what felt like hours. The hand below massaged at the nub whilst emulating the fulfilling penetration to come. Meryn's voice hitched half moaning on his name,"D-D-Aummh!" Saying his name brought a firm hold on the back of her head to keep her still. The flesh at her neck was released from the painful bite with a pop at the end of a rather cell shattering suck. "Mm!," she whimpered a squeal, her spine lowering back to the mattress. Sex in her eyes, 2D seemed satisfied."Is this where yew wan' it?", murmuring against her lips he left a gentle kiss, probing her once more.  
  
Winded and overwhelmed she nodded, moaning into the light joining of their lips,"Yes." Quieted 2D drew away lifting his shirt overhead, looking at the woman below quite literally dripping in sin. Flashing gapped teeth he chuckled with a gleeful look on his face undoing the zipper of his jeans, eyes narrowing at the focal point staring up at him, 2D chirped,"Brilliant."


	34. Pillow Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a roller coaster of highs and lows. Dark subjects dealt with or referenced to in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh sorry for the wait. Thanksgiving. School. Work. Ugh. But I haven't given up on this, I still have plans for these two~

Bit by bit, Meryn eventually gained the ability to breathe normally again as yet another sensual high came to an end. The energy exerted had taken a toll on the man awkwardly panting from above. Beads of sweat trailed down 2D's face dripping onto the nude form of the dazed woman below. "S-Sorry," he sat up straight releasing the firm hold he had on her legs that kept them in place over her head. Weak, they fell forward still spread to the presence of the man between them. "It's O.K.," Meryn reassured sitting up after him. Face to face, she placed a simple kiss on his lips. As she pulled away, he returned the gesture with a peck on her own. "Yew know...ya nevah actually tol' me wot yew fhought...wiff me havin' kids," no longer shy of the topic 2D stared blankly awaiting a prompt reply. Soft brown eyes looked from left to right, trying to think of the words that would allow her to convey her honest opinion. "Well...," Meryn scooted backwards to the wall resting her bare back against the cool metal. "I'm just surprised is all...," she started, the words falling short immediately after. "Do you...not like the idea of having kids?," Meryn managed to force out through her teeth.  
  
He took a moment, cocking his head to the side spiky blue locks fell accordingly due to the humidity of sex in the air. "Dunno. I did but...not so many ya know?," finally he spoke. "I don' fink I'm cut out t'be sumone's ol'man--I mean--I'm a man yeah? But I'm not tha' old!," 2D was now running off at the mouth addressing things in an unorganized manner, the way thoughts typically came to him. Half preoccupied with getting his briefs back on, he stood suddenly pulling them up the length of his legs. With a thumb, he popped the elastic in place as he pondered the question further,"I was bout 26 back then, and I'm only 30 now!" His mouth curved into a frown,"Well jus about 31 really..." "Oh yeah, your birthday is around the corner isn't it?," Meryn chimed in hoping to make the revelation of his age a little less uncomfortable. "Yew remembered tha'?," a thick brow rose perplexed. "May 23rd right? I mostly remember because my birthday falls on the 23rd of a month," against the wall she tilted her head back, from this angle able to see the large eye that stared back at her from underneath the curtain. A bit disturbed at the menacing look being received from a whale, Meryn tried her best to make sure it didn't register on her face.  
  
"Oh yeah, Forgot bout tha'--I-Uh-Um- Forgot wot I woz sayin',"2D scrambled to recall what he was just talking about having been distracted by something as simple as birthday talk. "Kids. If you wanted any. You're 30 going on 31," Meryn summed up the jist of the conversation trying not to smirk at his attention span. "Y-Yeah rioght fanks!,"he plopped down onto the mattress once he remembered, the bed shaking at his added weight. Meryn leaned forward a little averting her eyes from the unnerving sight of being stalked by a large fish. "Anyways, I ol'ways fhought 35 woz tha age t'be sumeone's dad," 2D continued from where he'd left off. Another frown curving his lips, he shook his head,"But even then I still ol'ready got too many I hafta pay for..."  
  
A little bothered by his hindered tone, Meryn's own lips slanted dipping into a frown for a brief moment before reverting back to the judgmental straight-faced stare,"You...didn't want to give any of the kids or their mom's a try?"  
  
"Nah. They were one night stands," he plainly answered scratching the back of his head. "I chatted em up and we shagged, there woz nuthin' else to it really."  
  
Silently Meryn nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat that wanted to scold him. "So Kat," his voice broke her train of thought. "Uh yeah?" she perked herself up by force raising both her brows attentively. "How bout yew? Do yew wan' kids o'yer own?" 2D turned towards her oblivious to the subtle disappointment in her eyes.  Lying down he turned on his side, propping his head up with his wrist as support. "Yeah, someday. One or two would be nice," she replied bridging her legs over his. "Hmm," he hummed eyeing her carefully. "I fink yew'd be a nice mum f'sumeone!",smiling wide he imagined Meryn being matronly. Awkward, she began to squirm being caught in his deep stare. Dark eyes stuck on her, his smile gradually began to fade," Kat? I've been wantin' t'ask..." 2D struggled to put a question together as his eyes traveled the bare skin marked with white lines. "Wot um-Happened with uh...," gritting his teeth he slowly pointed to the largest scar located on her ribcage.   
  
"Oh," Meryn murmured.  
  
They'd been on her body so long she'd stopped paying attention to them, at times she'd forget them all together. It was second nature to just cover up and evade questions with an endless amount of jackets or hoodies to cover all the afflicted tissue. For the first time in years, she thoroughly examined the scarred raised skin located in several places along her body. In deep thought she held out her arms taking in each memory that came with a specific cut; some thin and others alarmingly thick. After a while, she sighed putting on the best smile she could,"I did it."  
  
"...I don' understand. W-Why?"2D was hesitant to ask, unsure if it would be too much to pry any further. Grazing her fingertips across her forearms, she scrambled for a response. Meryn's expression changed from anxious to embarrassed becoming numb with a hollow look in her eyes,"It's how I coped back then-I-Well...A lot happened back then and I just..." Unable to find better words, she shrugged in defeat,"I couldn't take it." Worry clear on his face, he suddenly sat back up giving his undivided attention,"Yew...tried t'die, Kat?" Without having to ponder it, he reached out closing his hands around her small wrists. From her forearms to the taken aback look now surfacing on her face, 2D studied her closely. By now he'd seen her naked many times, but with sex on the mind, he'd forgotten to ask each time. Now able to see the finer details he narrowed his eyes, leaning forward he took notice of a line he'd never noticed before on her neck. Once taken for a simple crease of skin, he now noticed prominent scar tissue.   
  
Meryn yanked an arm away from his concerned grasp covering the area of interest with her hand in shame of the cut that almost killed her years ago,"Yeah. Once." 2D blinked a bit hurt by her resistance. "I'm...sorry, I thought you knew-- You know back when you were informed of my history," apologizing, Meryn looked past him. "I knew some stuff but at the same time yew were M.I.A., and they asked me t'contact yew. I forget a lot of fings but I wouldn't forget somefing loike tha'...if I heard it", releasing her wrist 2D folded his arms across his chest with a pout. " Sorry...," all she could do was apologize or so she'd told herself that the past 7 years. "Don't gotta do tha' Meryn. Yew got nuthin t'pologize for," he spoke putting forth a gentle smile.

Although he was curious and concerned, he looked at her like she remained herself. The kindness on 2D's features hadn't changed no matter what he'd heard or discovered in regards to her past. Slowly her hand fell uncovering the scar of her suicide attempt. Even then, he was as sweet as ever sporting his gapped tooth smile. Meryn pondered to herself what it was she was afraid of him knowing. Every time she could think of nothing that would cause him to suddenly become cold or treat her differently.

Taking a leap of faith, Meryn bowed her head holding her arms across her knees. Chin placed in the center, she spoke freely,"It's been a bad habit for a long time. Probably since I was taken in by my sister. " Interest piqued, 2D looked to her in question. "It started off with me hitting myself or breaking things back then. And just before I was removed from her care, I started cutting. It was light compared to well...the scars you see now."

"Wot happened to make yew start though?" he asked in a hushed tone. "Terra was...well we never really got along," Meryn began fidgeting in place. "Yew h-had a brother too yeah?", he asked now wincing a bit at his own question. "Mmhm," she hummed, a small smile flashing across her face," Sol and I had a better relationship. With our parents too..." Unable to contain his curiosity, 2D spoke out of turn,"Yer folks, wha were they loike?"

Silent for a moment, she recalled their quirks. Before long a smirk tugged at her mouth and seconds later she was cackling. "My mom was strong! Really blunt and cool!", giddiness fading, a warm smile surfaced," Dad was gentle and patient." Images of the last time she'd seen them appeared in her mind. Before she could sulk, he spoke again,"Sounds noice love!" His cheeks flushed pink being genuinely happy there was some part of her past that made her happy.

"Mmhmm," Meryn nodded, her eyes suddenly trailing across the floor in hopes of providing a visual presentation. It took a moment, but she spotted her cell phone in the corner nearby the numerous power plugs jutting from a strip. Overtaken by bittersweet memories she pushed herself away from the wall climbing over 2D and off of the bed. His head turned accordingly watching the swish of her hips and ogling her bare backside as she knelt to retrieve what kept her interest.

Shaking his head 2D fetched the discarded cheeky panties at the foot of the bed," Ere yew go, yer bum is kinda distractin'." Over her shoulder she smirked rising to her natural stature, the little wad of fabric tossed from his hands to hers. Quickly she stepped into them popping the elastic to its rightful place along her hips. Bent over briefly once more she retrieved the phone with a rather smug look on her face. Practically skipping back to the bed she sank back into the mattress alongside him. "Are my boobs distracting you too D?", she teased, batting her lashes at the man awkwardly bringing his knees to chest. A small grin pulled at his lips," Maybe a liddle bit."

Meryn wore the smarmiest of expressions pulling the shirt she wore earlier overhead,"Better? " 2D buried his face in his mits,"Couldn't 'elp it! They were lookin' at me! Callin' t'me really!" Mumbling through his fingers he appeared to be embarrassed peeking through the gaps every so often checking that the coast was clear. Rolling her eyes she sifted through the phone until she found what she was looking for. "Here," she nudged at his shoulder holding the lit LCD screen out in front of him. 

"Hm?" he lifted his hands and focused his eyes on the screen. The faces of people he'd never seen before that Meryn favored so much. A tall curvy woman with long dark hair, a heart-shaped face and eyes so dark they seemed almost black. Her skin tone reminded 2D of a spice cabinet, to himself he pondered whether the tone was more cinnamon or mahogany. "Tha's yer mum?! She looks uh...," trailing off he was puzzled by the skimpy clothing she wore and struggled for the words to describe her without ogling the mother of his sleeping partner. Beside the undeniably alluring woman was a man just a tad taller. Thick and wavy brown hair was pulled back into a bun, sideburns and a scruffy beard framed the strong jaw he had. Narrowing his eyes 2D studied the photo carefully looking to Meryn and then back to the pair photographed on rather aged grainy film.

"Yew look a lot loike yer dad. The skin colour and the hair especially," nodding he sighed in content of his decision. Upon closer inspection, he noted the unfriendly look her mother owned. A distinguished attitude clear as the sneer on her face. "Um woz yer mum mad ere or somefing?", 2D awkwardly looked up from the now dimmed screen. She simply shrugged, "Maybe...Probably. The memory I have of her was always kind of aggressive..." For a moment she fell silent. Fearing he'd upset her somehow by asking, his brows furrowed in concern, "Uhm...Kat--?''

"What the hell are you sayin' you're sorry for?! You're a man aren't ya? Then straighten up and act like it!"

Obedient 2D sat up straight, his mouth cursed into an intimidated pucker. Wide-eyed he remained straight as a board taken back by Meryn's sudden outburst. Just as suddenly she rapidly shook her head waving her hands about frantically. Half laughing she slumped,"Sorry! I was trying to think of what my mom would say at a time like this. "

"Really? Oh fank God...," letting out a sigh of relief, 2D was able to relax. "I fhought I woz in trouble!"  
  
"S-Sorry...," while apologetic, Meryn couldn't help but snicker in astonishment of how 2D jumped to attention at that moment. "If yer mum woz loike tha' then how bout yer ol'man?",he instantly reverted back to normal, leaning back trying to guess an answer for himself. Full lips pooched out in deep thought, looking from left to right until it came to her. In as deep a voice as she could,  she meekly imitated how her father would reply, "Come now Mari, don't make a scene. They'll think you're cr--Um nevermind." With a chuckle, 2D opened his mouth to comment but the show continued. Playing each part to the best of her ability she acted out a usual argument from memory. A baffled and offended persona took over as she extended a hand with the snark of her mother, "Yeah O.K. I'm crazy--What are you ashamed now? Embarrassed by your wife? Huh?!" Chortling in amusement, he watched the one-woman show clapping along in the way she changed her voice to match the pitch and tone of her oddball parents.   
  
_As intimidating as she was beautiful, Marisol managed to push the buttons of everyone too easily. Her usual demeanor had her almond shaped eyes squinting and shooting dirty looks to whoever dared challenge her. The masculine yet teddy-bear of a man Aaron had a lot to deal with in regards to his wife. The man wanted no trouble; rescinding his original statement he thought it best to avoid a scolding,"No. You're right. Sorry sorry!" He'd wave his hands about and try to calm her down, it came naturally to him to approach things gently._  
  
"Most of what I remember about my mom was her...," Meryn thought carefully for a moment searching for the correct word. "Attitude," she finished unsatisfied with what she'd come up with while scratching her head. "My dad was patient. Always apologizing and trying to accommodate everyone," a smile stretched across her face recalling it all. "Heh! Sounds loike yew Kat!", 2D chuckled. Simply shrugging she considered it and continued on,"They were polar opposites and it made for an...interesting upbringing." Vivid recalls of the numerous arguments that took place throughout her childhood sent tinges of discomfort down her spine. Realizing how her mother was being portrayed, Meryn attempted to paint a more accurate picture. "Mom was tough! My grandparents always talked about how she was such a handful and approached things head on...She smoked a ton and held us all on her shoulders. Figuratively speaking...,"trailing off she quieted for a moment. Twiddling her thumbs she spoke again,"She would walk around not wearing much; cleaning, eating junk food or checking my sibling's homework. I was the youngest so with me, she was the most gentle...With the exception of doing my hair."  
  
Wide-eyed and then wincing in terror, Meryn forced a jittery smile. "I distinctly remember sitting on the floor held between her knees. I had the most unruly hair of my siblings...So I had to be held in place in order for her to get anything done,"narrowing her eyes she let out a sigh of exhaustion of the memory alone. "They took turns caring for us; my dad worked on call but he always took Wednesday and Sunday off so he could watch us while she worked,"restless her leg began to tap a bit showing signs of growing discomfort. The last bit of light in her eyes was in memory of her father. Doing his best he'd style her hair for school in place of her mother, although the majority of what he'd do were ponytails or thick ugly platted braids. Contrary to her mother, Mr. Jakes took pride in providing a home-cooked meal for his children and corrected misconduct with words and gentle nudges in the right direction. On his off days, he'd teach Sol how to play guitar and help his youngest color pages in the Barbie activity book she loved so much. Always encouraging them to create and to stand their ground, the Jakes were good parents.  
  
However...  
  
"My sister was different from my brother and me", Meryn sighed shrugging in discontent. "Terra was practical-minded and more serious than we were, even as children. Music and art were lost on her and she'd sort of bully us for even trying," she continued. The look on 2D's face changed from engaged to pained, knowing well that this story wouldn't have a happy ending. The middle child, Terra, was the very reason Meryn ended up in her grandparents care. As she recalled, there wasn't a moment her brother and sister weren't arguing. Young, sensitive, and impressionable; Meryn was uncertain which of them was right.  
  
_"You're both wasting your time. Of all the people out there in the world that don't make it as artist's, why would two kids?",her sister stood tall rolling her eyes, 8 years Meryn's senior. Always patronizing and shaking her head in pity, Terra occupied herself with attaining the impossible. Perfection. Too many times she'd looked down on her younger sister as if she were too stupid to comprehend any of her words._ _Sighing, she threw her head back in annoyance readying herself for another attempt at explaining,"Okay Meryn look. See all of this?" Short bone straight hair framed the arrogant look on her sister's face,"Mom and dad...they do their best-I guess- but this is not my future. I'm not going to live like this."_   _The parents of 3 children, Mr. and Mrs. Jakes did indeed do their best to provide for their family. They'd married young and had their first born, Sol, barely out of their teens. The parent's Meryn had, were slightly different from the one's Sol and Terra knew. Hard work and not enough time spent with their offspring had made a lasting impression on the two older siblings she looked up to but in two different ways._  
  
_Sol respected them and what they'd done to provide for them all. Terra, however, saw the life they lived as a failure and an embarrassment. Unable to afford the things that her friends prodded on about and sick of living in a 2 bedroom apartment with her family who seemed happy with simplicity, Terra dreamed of more and sought to make that dream a reality. By the arrival of their youngest sister, the family was better off. Years of hard work, odd jobs, and double shifts had paid off allowing for a more comfortable living space; the place Meryn was born into, while the earlier siblings experienced a cram packed home._  
  
_Tiny 5-year-old hands fidgeted at the talking to being received from the more knowledgeable pre-teen. "Mom never went to college and dad dropped out to marry her--," her sister's lecture was cut short by a sharp stinging smack at the back of her head. Scornfully, their mother towered over them both,"Keep your mouth shut and stop trying to poison my baby's outlook on life!" Lengthy hair tossed from shoulder to shoulder as she bucked and scolded,"Terra! Without me OR your daddy, you wouldn't be here! We are where we are and your holier than thou attitude has been getting really old!" Meryn recalled the look of disdain that stared daggers from her sister's eyes as she stood there holding the back of her head. Reddish-brown eyes glared down at her as if it were her innocent younger sister's fault._  
  
Sighing, Meryn shook her head returning to the reality she was in,"I don't think she ever really liked me. I don't think she cared about who or where we came from. When mom and dad died, I saw her cry once but something was off..."  
  
2D whimpered slouching where he sat,"Woz yer brother at least noice t'ya?" There had to be something positive in her childhood! "Mmhm," like clockwork she seemed to perk up, rocking back and forth on the bed. "You probably would have liked Sol, he was a few years older than you; really creative and goal oriented," violet hair swung forward draping over the fitted T-shirt she wore. A little hesitant, 2D pressed on,"Wot...happened t'him?"  
  
"He...got involved with some dangerous people. Sol was adamant on being a musician and made deals with people to get his work out there...Some of the deals weren't exactly good, but he did what he needed I guess...,"shrugging she dismissed the bad taste in her mouth that came with remembering his activity with shady people. "Yer friend uh..Ru-Ror-Ruri? She said yew used t'elp out on sum of tha tracks?,"he chimed in wanting to keep her positive.  
  
"She told you that?"  
  
"Yeah. Ol' of us back on tha nioght yew had tha' altercation wiff moi ex."  
  
"Pffffffft!", unhinged laughter boomed through the air. Meryn covered her mouth slapping an open palm against it. "Wha's so funny?"2D asked tilting his head. "That girl had such a crush on me," came blurted out from the gaps of her fingers. "Wait-Wot?!," surprised he leaned forward, frowning in disbelief,"H-How d'ya figure?"  
  
"She basically confessed to me--," Meryn shrunk a bit feeling bad for mentioning it all of a sudden. "Hmph...Before or aftah yew beat 'er face in?" a scowl marked the apparent bitter jab he sent in her direction. Tongue in cheek 2D looked away pouting, his ego hurt yet again. "Wow," she murmured,"I don't think you've ever been flat out mean to me before..." Forcing a smile, she pivoted away retreating from the conversation. In disarray, he face-palmed dragging the broad hand down his face. Lengthy fingers pressed onto her shoulder, with a remorseful groan 2D attempted to fix the unsettling feeling he created. "Sorry Kat, I'm jus frustrated," nudging at her back he hoped she'd turn around and grant him with a smile. But expecting Meryn to shrug off his hurtful tone was just wishful thinking. Inwardly he cringed, settling to speak about something he was still sore on. "Yew know bout Paula rioght?",his tone low and bitter sadness wavering in his voice.  
  
After a moment, Meryn answered,"I know she's a bitch, and Murdoc's a bastard." In unease, he chuckled,"Kinda harsh, don'ya fink?" 2D in no way hated either of them for their betrayal and blatant disregard for his feelings. He'd broken up with the former guitarist and wished her well; all while getting sworn at by the both of them. While Murdoc went on tossing the girl aside, Paula had become unbalanced, or so he'd heard. 2D walked away with a blow to his ego and with a bleak outlook on love. "No," she interrupted his train of thought shooting a glare over her shoulder. A wide and uncomfortable grin pried his lips apart, clearly, he'd pissed her off and thought it best to remove his hand before she took it from him. With impressive speed, 2D drew his hand away holding the appendage close to his chest and cherishing how it remained attached to his limb.   
  
Tossing hair over her shoulder, Meryn's face softened,"Don't look at me like that D...I'm not going to hurt you." While she said that, he couldn't help but notice the slight look of disdain still evident in the small frown on her face. "Kay....,"slumping forward, 2D's back hunched as he sat unsure of how to make things better. For what felt like several minutes, the two of them sat in silence until 2D couldn't take it anymore. Trembling he blurted out the solution he'd come up with, "Could yew jus hit me and get it ova wiff?" Taken back a bit she answered easily,"Sure."  
  
Squinting his voids he braced himself for impact. A prompt hit was the usual result of his sassy remarks, but after moments of waiting, nothing came. Slowly relaxing, 2D peeked out of the corner of his eyes to the woman with a mischievous and crooked grin plastered across her face. Hands darted for him, but to his delight, there was no pain.   
  
"KKKKMPTH," 2D flung backward bucking wildly on the bed. Long limbs flailing and waving about as he was pinned by his shoulders and the weight of the woman torturing him in the most childish way. Sat atop him triumphantly Meryn poked at and sent her fingers dancing along the sensitive zones of his body. "S-stAHP! I'M tIcKlish ThERE!",he spat out squirming and wheezing through his teeth. "I know!" she chirped now grinning flashing the smallish gap at the front of her teeth. "A-Ah OKAY OKAY! MERCY! STAHP IHT!," he begged with a silly expression on his face. Meryn smirked in satisfaction and complied. The relentless tickling came to an end as she playfully lifted her arms into the air. The grown man below giggled nonsensical gibberish tearing up in the corners of his pitch black eyes.  
  
Abnormally long arms shot up for her pulling Meryn forward. A curtain of purple veiled the both of them as she found herself inches away from the giddy man coming down from his tickle high. While still a little sour with the jab from earlier, this close to an idiot like 2D made staying angry with him impossible; especially when he was sporting the jagged smile that made her melt each time she saw it. "2D," she spoke out wanting to hear his name. "Hm?" he attentively answered. "2-Dizzle," Meryn chortled covering her mouth in laughter. "W-Wha??," his voice croaked a bit in confusion,"Yew make me sound loike a hip-hop sensation frum tha' 90's!"  
  
"Stuart!," she proclaimed propping herself up on her elbows.  
  
Blinking twice, 2D stuttered half-laughing,"Have yer eva called me tha'?"   
  
"Nope!," Meryn replied sing-song,"I wanted to try it, but it feels weird saying it! I'm too used to calling you 'D'." He nodded in agreement pushing the veils of hair behind her ears,"Now tha' yew mention it, I fink tha only one t'call me 'Stu' was 'Melia...And Paula called me 'StuPot'..." Shaped brows rose and fell,"Does...it really upset you that Amelia liked me?" Rust colored irises reflected through the dark orbs that were his eyes in the fluorescent lighting shining down from above. "Hm, well actually it makes a lot of sense, she talked loads bout yew...," pursing his lips, 2D shook his head,"Not mad a'yew love. I woz jus frustrated cuz--I--Uh felt a liddle betrayed." Meryn's mouth opened to speak, but a finger came pressed against them silencing her before she could begin. "Not by yew Kat. By her", he clarified. "Seems loike gerls lose interest in me afta' while. Either tha' or Murdoc gets to em."  
  
"Ughhhh," she groaned in disgust just thinking of the green man being intimate with anyone. Distracted by a factor other than the man famous for stealing away his girlfriends, 2D felt compelled to ask, "Kat? Sorry t'ask bout this but...did she loike make a move on yew?" "She didn't. And if she had, I wouldn't have reacted much differently than I did that night," Meryn pondered what became of the petite girl after she'd been admitted. "Anyway," she continued on shirking the question in her mind," She had somethings to work through and besides that, I was already dealing with liking two different people." Meryn flattened herself out on top of him; middle to middle he wrapped his arms around her hips holding her in place. "Two people?" he asked one brow rising in an inquiry.   
  
"Shea and you," answering plainly she thought to herself how different things currently were compared to back then. "Ohhhh rioght!" chuckling, 2D recalled the night he met the old flame of his current one. The stars that night were bright in the clear dark sky of the oceanside city. "She talked t'me bout astro--Astronomy? Or is it astrology?," he couldn't seem to remember the difference between the two words and looked to Meryn for help. "Astrology. And yeah that sounds like her...,"deep in thought, she rolled her eyes at the interests of her old friend. "She used to turn me down saying I'd get hurt, all while having this bizarre respect for me being a Pisces," her expression soured. "I never believed in that crap. From what I read, Pisces are weak...I don't like the idea of being portrayed that way...,"pouting she grumbled in annoyance.  
  
"Wot are Gemini's s'posed t'be loike?"2D perked up in curiosity. "I have no idea," Meryn shrank,"Sorry." "It's O.K. I would'f asked back then but there woz a lot goin' on," he yawned wide dismissing it for the most part,"Wasn't there sum other gerl?"  
  
Head tilted to the side she looked at him confused,"Who?" "Anotha friend yew had in common or sumfink?" he tried to be more descriptive. "Oh...You probably mean Satomi,"the entirety of her face practically imploded speaking of her old classmate and friend. "N-Nevah mind?,"2D tried to take back his curiosity not wanting to bring up any more sadness for one lifetime. "It's O.K. D. She was a friend. The _popular_ girl but like me...she was alienated after awhile,"trailing off the sight of the short and skinny girl came to mind. "Shea and I were already outcasted and I saw Satomi sitting by herself by the school gate soooo I invited her to skip with me,"Meryn rolled off of his body settling along beside him instead. "Yew skipped school?" jokingly his head shook from side to side. "Yup! I was too scared to go, plus I found other things to do,"lying on her back she vibrated laughing of the day to day from years ago. "Other fings? Loike?,"2D turned on his side attentively.  
  
"Hm," she thought for a moment. "I would hide out with Shea at her place. She was staying with some...guy who gave her a 'job' and plenty of narcotics. I would either be drawing in the sketchbook I had or people watching while they did...what couples do..." Awkwardly she stuttered on her words,"From time to time she'd cuddle with me, maybe make-out, or...something." Patting a beat against the skin of her thighs she puckered her lips noticing the growing smile on her partner's face. "Nawt gonna lie. Tha's pretty hot t'fink about,"snickering he took the opportunity to imagine the two of them fooling around. The tall thin blond he'd met that one night and the tall curvy exotic looking girl that currently laid beside him, in intimacy. "Yeah yeah," Meryn rolled her eyes nudging at his shoulder, "Anyways, we accepted Satomi into our little niche. Had some fun times-- **NOT** like that."  
  
Immature cackling ensued,"Yeah yeah, love I figured."  
  
For a second she laughed at his immaturity, in the next the smile was melting off her face. Becoming serious she tensed continuing to elaborate,"Satomi was gullible, she went after the same guy that...did what he did." Slowly but surely the story began to sound familiar to him. "O-Oh that guy who...um,"2D stopped short, nodding in acknowledgment of what the man had done. "The guy was an opportunist and a manipulator," her voice rang so sharp that it pierced through the otherwise quiet air. "I told her, but she couldn't see past his empty promises...And I didn't do enough to stop her." Saddened, his mouth curved into a prominent frown," And...then she....?"  
  
"No...she dated him for awhile and stopped talking to us. Right after Shea just...disappeared without a word and I-I went back to being alone," as much as she could she numbed herself to any ill feelings of the past and shrugged it off. "It wasn't until a year later that she killed herself, by then I had started attending school again. I transferred to the school Ruri ended up going to so I could actually concentrate and graduate...at least," she voiced in as uncaring a tone as possible. "I'm sorry Kat,"inching towards her, 2D rest his head against her chest. "It was complicated. And this might sound kind of terrible but if I could bring her back to life, I'd knock her goddamn teeth out,"the harsh words floated out of her mouth.  
  
Frozen, 2D nervously hoped she'd explain but was far too intimidated to ask. As if she read his mind, she answered his question," She ostracized me to back in the good graces of her--Pretentious little clique and denounced me the second she had a chance,"now seething, her breaths became spaced apart. The rising and falling of her chest slowed contrary to the speeding heartbeat echoing in his ear. "B-But Kat she...died...," he mumbled not wanting to outwardly judge her standpoint. "I know D. I was sad then and I'm still sad now. I'm not saying I don't care, it's just--She didn't hesitate to shit all over me once she got everything she wanted. As far as I was concerned, she could go fuck herself! I should've thrown her out the goddamn window...," with much vigor and aggression she went on a tangent, literally vibrating in anger.   
  
Doe-eyed and completely still, 2D broke a sweat,"Yew O.K.?" "Yeah, sorry I'm just venting," she said hurriedly trying to reassure him,"I wouldn't wish rape on her or anyone. That's why when I found out--Something had to be done." An eerie silence took over as the spiraling in her mind commenced.  
  
  
"Meryn?"  
  
  
His sudden voice broke the silence,"What DID yew do t'tha guy?"  
  
Red splatters, broken bones and physical trauma resurfaced. The face of the man's agony was so clear it vibrated with color. Shattered fragments of teeth on the wooden floor, vomit, and the smell of infection permeating the air of the makeshift torture chamber. The calculations and preparation that her plan required deemed Meryn a homicidal threat to society. The image of photographed evidence she had to attest to and an ongoing list of the injuries he sustained read aloud for her grandparents to hear. She would never forget the way her grandmother bowed her head hearing the gruesome details. A courtroom full of pity for her and in fear of what she was capable of; only her character witnesses kept Meryn safe from being put away along with the very same man who started it all.  
  
"Meryn?!"  
  
Again he called out to her, this time with more urgency.  
  
Shaking she mumbled through her lips,"I can't tell you what I did. I don't want you to look at me differently--I'm too scared you'll leave..."  
  
Lifting himself up 2D nodded,"Then...couldya tell me somefing else?" He peered down at her noting the fear in her eyes,"Do yew regret it?" It all came back to the partial lie she told on record that solidified her stay with them. "No,"shame-filled eyes looked away, guilty for sure in the eyes of the dark-eyed man watching her closely from above. Meryn's mind collapsed in on itself in nothing but self-hatred for herself. The urge to drive her nails into her own neck was too enticing to ignore. And yet, she found herself being held. It didn't take a second thought, 2D wrapped his arms around her burying his face in the crook of her neck. "Tha's O.K.," he mumbled warm against her throat.  
  
A hand flew up from her sides clasping over her trembling mouth, wanting to hide away any evidence of distress from escaping. Even so, she sniffled as the tears welling in the corners of her eyes overflowed giving away her secret. "Don' cry,"2D pleaded rising from the lush pillowy hair wisping at her shoulders. Prioritizing coverage of her weak moment, the hand clasped over her mouth shot to her eyes instead. Embarrassed, she gradually began to laugh, teeth bared and lips upturned, unable to look him in the eyes. Long arms squeezed tightly securing the woman in place as he leaned in to plant a doting kiss on her parted lips. Even through the stifled laughter, he didn't yield until she quieted and returned the pressure against his own.  
  
"Heh," chuckling his lips brushed hers on release. "There's nuthin' I can do bout tha' past, but if ya let me I'll distract ya!",2D beamed. "I'm real confident in moi snoggin'! Got tha' magick touch!," he continued to boast having left Meryn smitten below. "I-I've known that for a while D," she sniffled again quickly wiping the streams from her face,"Ever since New Year's day."  
  
"Oh heard about tha' did yew?"  
  
"Well I mean--I was there..."  
  
It took a moment to register but when it did, he reared back coming to a realization,"Wait wot?!"  
  
A low snarky chuckle began and transitioned into an outburst of cackling laughter. "W-Whaddya mean? Tha first time anyfing happened between us woz weeks ago!" he continued to insist. "Nope!," Meryn howled in amusement of the flabbergasted look plastered all over his face. "How d'ya know it woz me?",he questioned attempting to fathom the possibility. "Smelled like you. Same height, same muscle tone...,"pausing she pointed to his agape mouth,"Teeth missing in the same places."  
  
"Yeah O.K. And how wouldya know tha'?",his voice heightened in protest. "I did a thorough investigation with my tongue," she teased blowing the raspberry up at him matter of factly. "B-But--," slowly the gears turned allowing 2D to recall the stature of a rather tall girl; wavy hair that his fingertips ran through, and the buxom body against him. He leaned forward, closing his eyes inhaling the scent of confections in her hair,"Have yew olways used this sweet smellin' shampoo?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Gasping he flailed around,"Then why din't yew say somefing?!" Meryn burst into uncontrollable breathy laughs,"I did!" Like a child he sat up completely pouting,"Yew know I'm dense! If I knew yeah? I woulda made it wiff yew yeeeeears ago!" Out of breath she struggled to speak, her eyes teared up but for a reason different than before. "Even then you stopped me from screwing around!",howling she rolled around beneath his weight. "I woz bein' a GENTLEMEN!",arms flew up into the air exasperated with his own stupidity.  
  
"I WOZ BEIN' A GENTLEMEN!",Meryn mimicked his whining snorting halfway through. Before he could respond, her hands grasped at his face pulling him forth. Clumsily he managed to catch himself before he'd fallen onto her. Sporting a playful smile, she ran fingertips through the aqua colored spikes grabbing hold of the back of his head pulling him down. 2D met her halfway and finished the rest lowering himself into a liplock. Slow and gentle to heated but concise, the pressure of his lips melted her in more ways than one. He drew back after a while with a cool expression, leaving Meryn in gasps. "Yep, it's definitely you,"smiling through pants she was silenced at the urgency of his lips once again. Larger hands dove into lush hair latching to her skull as she cooed along under his control.


	35. Changing Seasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into 2D's crippling depression. Also time skip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This'll be kinda short. I just hate letting too much time go by without an update. I'm recovering from sinusitis and pharyngitis that took place all last week and is still ongoing. I will probably flesh this out a bit more towards the beginning. Never mind I know I will. Let me know what you think, it keeps me eager to write...My face hurts.

September 2009--Point Nemo, Nemo, Plastic Beach  
  
  
  
"Hnn...,"blue hair tossed about at the movement of the man repositioning himself in his sleep. Turning from one side to another, 2D couldn't quite seem to find a comfortable manner to lie beside his sleeping partner. The same old sounds of the ocean around them were starting to become too repetitive for his liking. What was once quite peaceful was becoming intolerable and far too mundane. Settling on his back, he went limp sighing in discontent of the sight he knew he'd see if he dare open his eyes. The ugly neon walls that trapped them and tiny living space that he and Meryn were expected to share for possible years to come. It took only a month in captivity with the woman he'd become extremely familiar with and already he was growing tired of it. Nothing else to do, 2D eyes opened to a squint with the thickened brows furrowing above in annoyance. The overhead lights illuminating the twin bed they shared shone as brightly and obnoxiously as ever into his pupils. Snickering to himself, the same thoughts of the past month loomed in on queue. "I hate iht 'ere...," mumbled from his chapped lips as his arm came to shield his eyes from the sickening orange color made more ugly by cheap retina burning light bulbs.  
  
In the corner of straining black holes, there was one sight 2D still found bearable, and there she was sleeping peacefully. Still ridden of energy from their bedroom hobby and in the exact same position he'd seen her with her back against the wall. Laying on her side, she was still completely nude and held her arms to her chest in efforts to keep warm. A little smile found its way across his face. At least he had her to counter the bouts of despair he'd been succumbing to as the months had gone by. From May to September tons of work on the album had been made. The only time away from the plastic hellhole in which he found himself would soon be taken away entirely. Murdoc had found it was much easier to kidnap others and force them too to be a part of the album rather than haul his prisoners around South America with him. A frown overtook the smile Meryn brought, lately 2D wondered if she could be happy here, held in captivity. So it seemed as long as he was there with her, she wouldn't complain, in all the time held here with him she hadn't done so other than the moment she woke up to her being trapped.   
  
Deeply inhaling, 2D inwardly wondered if she could cancel out the dissatisfaction of being unable to spread his wings. He suddenly found himself wincing coming to an answer. "No," he whispered under his breath peering over to the sleeping woman hoping she hadn't stirred. Downcast he had been acting out lately, saying borderline hurtful things to her or moody and inconsistent with his emotions. A loud thud came banging on the cellar door grabbing his attention. "Time t'go kiddies--And I swear to Satan himself if neither of you are ready to go in the next 5 minutes I'll shove my boot in both your asses!" Shakily he held his head wincing at the headaches that no longer had a cure, peeking to Meryn's naked form and down at his own in fear for both their butts,"K-Kay!"

* * *

   
"Fix your goddamn face."  
  
  
As always objects came hurling at 2D's already aching head. Whether he was inland or forced into a recording session on plastic beach it always yielded the same results. Scampering across the room, he did his best to dodge the heavy objects thrown at him. Murdoc chortled in amusement," Getting better at dodging I see, I'll have to work better on my aim." Wincing 2D fled the area sprinting like his life depended on it down the hallway hearing the taunting sounds of snorts and grunts patronizing him from behind. Beyond frustrated, 2D managed to escape the cruelties of Murdoc. Down the hall and around the corner his legs took him. Hiding, he placed his back against the wall stopping to catch his breath. His lungs were practically collapsing in a panic, hyperventilation being quite a new experience for him. Even with all the stress, 2D had been under in all the years of working with Murdoc, in captivity, it seemed even the easy-going 2D had his limits. Out of his control, his hands trembled seething in animosity and exuding negativity in the air. "Tch,"sneering he slammed the finicky fist into the wall behind him inwardly wishing he had the gall to do such a thing to Murdoc's face.  
  
"D?", a voice of concern sounded from his immediate right. Her tone was sweet and inviting, accordingly, his head swiveled in her direction. The swiftness of his movements seemed to further worry her. Meryn stood nearby, having seen the beginning of his deteriorating sanity she remained frozen in place fiddling the tips of her fingers and exuding anxiety. In silence, 2D's entire body shifted, pivoting to focus on her entirely instead of the unnerving feeling of being trapped forever in Murdoc's control. Goosebumps spread out along Meryn's arms the moment he'd faced her. Gulping she examined his demeanor and unreadable expression; brows furrowing in further unease she called his name again,"2D?"  
  
In the moment she spoke his name, he seemed to come back to life. Suddenly and without any indication, he darted for her pulling her forth in a single motion. Large hands snaked possessively around her body mashing her middle to his own. Wide-eyed a small gasp puffed out from her lips in surprise at the force and urgency exerted in his grasp. For just one second she was able to ponder and form a question in her mind to ask of him, but the intensity of his blank-faced yet frantic eyes deviated Meryn from speaking. No matter, the question disappeared as he jammed his entire tongue into her unsuspecting mouth.  
  
"Mh?!," muffling against the pressure of his lips, her eyes came to a close in slight distress. 2D was fueled by something unknown to her, something that struck a tinge of fear inside. But, somehow Meryn was enjoying it. Merely standing there being pulled and yanked in different directions under the control of his hands. Her head angled erratically at the desperate pace he set, at times being pulled backward at the abrupt tugging of her hair and being tongued rather than kissed. The oral muscle licked and plunged into her mouth taking her ability to comprehend what was happening soon after. Nothing but sharp pants and alarm in her voice, until a yelp came squeaking from her lungs from the sudden force of her back being slammed into the wall.  
  
_So rough...!_  
  
In no time at all his hands roamed over every inch of the body he'd taken ownership of. No affection in his hold, the hands tugged at the fitted jeans she wore; the button and zipper simultaneously coming undone and giving way to what 2D was aiming for. He pulled away in a single motion yanking them down her thighs and immediately went back to shoving his tongue down her throat with an unyielding grip on her cheeks. Shocked her eyes reopened, frantically stuttering against his mouth,"S-Someone'll see!"  
  
This version of 2D had barely looked her in the eye since he practically attacked her, but to her relief, her protesting caught his attention. Only for a moment did the voids stay locked on her as if he'd not pondered their public whereabouts; straight-faced and contemplative his head shot from right to left surveying the hallway. No time to consider doing this later, he merely decided on a spontaneous switch of locations. Eager hands grabbed hold of Meryn's wide hips hurriedly walking her into the nearest door he could find. The door creaked open and slammed promptly behind them, as he practically shoved her inside. Meryn stumbled forward, the denim halfway down her legs restricting any concise movement. No time to recover or gain her bearings, she found herself being pulled in and yanked about once again under his rule.  
  
2D seemed to loom in from behind sweeping her forward step by staggering step until she eventually lost her balance entirely and stumbled into the vanity set in the far corner of the room. "Oof!," she fell forth stopping herself from completely falling onto the surface with the firm placement of her hands. Hair dusted over her shoulders and flung forth along with her as she came face to face with her own reflection lit up by the bright white lights of the vanity. Tan cheeks somehow rosy and breathing against the glass, Meryn could see her pupils shrink and expand feeling way too much at once. Breath fogged up the image of herself as she rose in stature.  
  
Bottom lip quivering she noticed movement from directly behind; with the most remote expression 2D came into view pressing his body against her bending form. The prominent Adam's apple bobbed at how hard he swallowed while his hands boldly pushed up her shirt, gliding over the skin newly cooled by the chilly air until he met the underwire of Meryn's bra. Demanding fingers crept inside, gaining a handful of her right breast. His other hand grazed along her neck, the tips of his fingers pushing the curtain of hair behind her ear and tossing the bundle down the curve of her back. Mouth tight in a line, 2D drew closer peering over her shoulder nestling against her cheek. Lips parted allowing shaky desperate breaths to come panted out from the spaces between his teeth hot against her ear. Black eyes narrowed eyeing the moldable nature in Meryn's posture as reflected in the mirror with determination and restlessness. A hint of his usual demeanor peeked out at the curve of his mouth into a crooked snaggle tooth grin. Contrary to the growing sinister look on his face, his voice was rather suggestive instead of commanding; still, an audibly sinful rumble vibrated into her ears,"Go on and arch f'me Kat."   
  
2D's voice was trembling as if he was afraid of scaring her off but too far gone to be anything less than self-indulgent. Swallowing her nerves, she silently obeyed; the angle of her spine readied for this spontaneous encounter. The burgundy of his irises visible in the lighting of the vanity, she was able to see what it was that was fueling his actions. The desperate need to be in control of something in his life; at this juncture, it was made crystal clear that the 'something' in this case was her. The warm heavy breath against her ear was causing her to shudder as his tongue dragged along the outer lobe and down her neck. In place of his hand, the surface of his tongue caressed and suckled at her skin aching to be touched, the hand once at her neck traveled down her throat and around her body. Coiling around her waist and dipping past her hips, 2D smiled biting into his lower lip, snatching the low-riding panties down her thighs in one attempt.  
  
"Hnn," he grumbled as his hips came winding forward involuntarily to her now bare backside.

"Mmh,"Meryn moaned in response, her hips swaying from side to side in anticipation.  
  
Quickly, 2D undid his own jeans pressing his lips to her jugular. Humming his tongue darted out applying pressure to her main artery vein receiving little mewled responses in return. Noting her rolled eye movement and the frazzled panting that followed, 2D was overcome with a sudden need to look at her seriously for a moment. Thick brows furrowed slightly as his mouth curved into a saddened and guilty expression, "...I'll give it t'ya proper later." His voice in a low tone whispered biting down on the hickeys he created. A tinge of concern gleamed in his eyes and he barred his teeth, breathing in puffs of hot heavy air,"I promise." Through squinted eyes, Meryn's focus fell on the reassuring look he wore on his features. Her body tensed up and was set on fire caught in his remorseful but undoubtedly selfish stare. Slowly she answered nodding, intently staring back at him.  
  
A flesh protrusion from behind tapped at her folds upon its release before being immediately guided to the small entrance and promptly pushed inside. In the clouds,  Meryn's eyes shot open being filled to the hilt before she could comprehend it. His own eyes shut tight as a look of enlightenment washed over his expression. First taken back, 2D's head rolled backwards, mouth wordlessly agape. Silent mind-boggling pleasure made his head literally spin until he was able to express it in a baffled moan that was filled with longing. "A-ah-mmh," he moaned as his cock was further sheathed inside through the gap of his teeth,"Fank yew."  
  
In the next instant, his hips pushed forward ever deeper with nowhere else to go. "Aah-h,"Meryn squirmed feeling pressure against her unyielding cervix. He was as deep as their physicalities would allow. Her insides jolted being completely full and occupied by 2D, swooning her head rolled from shoulder to shoulder as her lower half pressed back against him hoping somehow it'd push past the barrier. The hand holding onto her breast grasped a firm hold; his index finger and thumb squeezing and tugging at the rosy peak. The other slid along the curve of her waistline as he drew his own backward and slammed everything back into her.   
  
"Ah!," she shrieked taking in a sharp breath. Gradually, the painfully deep member inside began a consistent rhythm; slow and hard with the steadiest speed increase. Eyes full of emotion stared at her reflection; mouth agape her bottom lip trembled at the earth-shattering pressure, silent at first and suddenly squeaking letting out a shrill yipe for anyone nearby to hear. Her sweet voice brought about the sound of skin on skin followed after at a very sudden jab of his hips. "T-Tell me if it hurts kay?" he shuddered clenching his teeth, driven by her audio queues. Meryn barely heard what he said, but nodded anyway with a silly deranged look that tugged her lips into a grin. The hand gripping her waist suddenly pushed her down, her body dropping to the vanity surface below. 2D let go of her breast pulling both arms behind her back allowing her to lay flat only with a slight incline of her heaving chest and panicked breathing.  
  
Dark eyes stared at the sight below; memorizing the statuesque view of her submission and the forfeiture of her own body. One large hand easily held both Meryn's wrists in place at the base of her back, her hands situated at the edge of her backside. Eyeing the way her ass, delightfully red from the pounding, bounced and shook at his continued harsh entry, 2D was mesmerized watching himself being buried deep in the gorged little pink slit,"Auh God..." From this position, he could see just how deep he was by the way her entrance seemed to bloom accommodating the girth of his cock whenever he stuffed himself completely inside. Through the heat of it all, his focus flickered to the woman with her cheek pressed against the surface on the table. Her head tilted trying to look back at him as she gasped out in cute little whimpers that made his length twitch and throb in response between her walls. Overcome with an overload of stimuli his newly freed hand pressed on the back of her neck. Pinned down by the firm hold, she was briefly silenced, it gave him the leverage to let loose. Wildly his hips flung back and forth slamming into her so hard the air held in her lungs escaped in short sharp gasps.  
  
"mNHGh," she squeaked, the consciousness being halfway choked out of her. Through her watery dazed eyes, she could see the blur of the man pounding away at her backside from behind. The consistent pounding beat her from behind warranting an equally consistent moan of encouragement to come blubbering from her lips. Several times, 2D wanted to give in to the orgasm bubbling up in the pit of his stomach and allow himself to gush inside the mess of a woman he'd made her, but he refused. "N-Not yet," he panted shakily grabbing the length of her hair along her back yanking her from the table where she lay. A shrill whimper squealed from her lips pulled in close so suddenly. Her back against his chest his fingers pressed against the hair at Meryn's skull grazing along her jaw line until he gained an impressive yipe inducing hold on her throat. Earthy eyes looked amber in the lighting as her eyes went wide again in surprise; able to see just how far gone and depraved the usually thoughtful man was. The blood in his eyes seemed to be spiraling into a crazed trance with a goofy unhinged sneer pulling at his mouth.  
  
Driven by the innocence of the gleaming doe eyes watching him, 2D slammed harder into her pushing the arch of her back to an impossible slope. Meryn gasped, her eyes rolling up to the ceiling and into the back of her head. He never slowed or halted for a moment, the feeling of the sky falling brought Meryn closer and closer to heaven. For a moment everything went black, although still very much conscious only due to the violent rhythm of his hips she merely took it all unable to make a sound. The sudden release of is hold sent a loud sharp gasp tearing through the quieted atmosphere. The Meryn that came back from the darkness grinned devilishly, the brown orbs coming back down to stare depraved daggers at the man in the mirror. Long fingers laced through her hair grabbing a wad in one swipe and latching at her scalp. Her head shot back and was angled into a sloppy breathy lip lock that had them swapping saliva and exchanges of panted ecstasy. Her body pulled up right, he found the perfect angle that required no adjusting and allowed him to slip in and out of her at the quickening thrusts of his hips.   
  
An arm wrapped around her neck possessively being pulled into a slight head lock, the other frantically left her hair and wrapped around her chest holding Meryn's breasts tight with his trembling forearm. Against the beachy hair splayed over her shoulders, 2D shuddered panting and mumbling vulgar things into the lush waves. His eyes narrowed into a harsh squint, teeth clenching he held his head close to hers pressing his cheek against her own newly wet with the single tear that streamed down her face. Picture perfect, Meryn hummed along having completely lost it, her tongue peeking out through the broad grin as if she'd given into sheer debauchery and become giddy in the process. His will was wavering, halfway aggressive and halfway giddy himself, 2D's mouth scrambled into a smile. Voice hitching he chuckled through a moan,"Awh yer so kewt..." Tighter he pulled embracing her, signs of affection returning at long last. A kittenish giggle fluttered from her lungs in close proximity of his ear getting the hidden tones in her voice that hinted she might be at her limit. 2D hummed back, his voice reverberating warm against her jaw,"Yew gunna cum f'me?"  
  
As if she were about to die where she stood, Meryn nodded rapidly squeezing her eyes shut. Communicating only by whimpers and mewls her pitch fluctuated in a crazed manner. "Ouh," he moaned, his pitch fluctuating at the loss of control he had of himself,"G-Gud gerl." Rearing backward he put the remainder of his energy into making sure that happened, each thrust was met with an audible smack that sounded to be abundant in bodily fluids. Every single thrust could be felt dragging along the tightness of her walls in relentless jabs. Meryn's eyes peeked through the welling tears watching the way he seemed to lose his fucking mind burying himself into her. "AaAH", he warbled through jagged teeth clenched tight at the growing feeling bubbling up in his gut. His soul looked to have momentarily left his body to come back clawing and pulling her breasts in desperation.   
  
"Cum for me D."   
  
Air sucked in through the gaps of his teeth and he held on tightly burying his face in the crook of her neck. Aqua blue hair flung forward draping over his eyes, sticking to his forehead. Gone completely red in the face he choked out a shaky yelp in declaration of the end of his rope,"Y-Yer gunna make m-me 'sssplode!" Something about the wavering flinching expression peeking out through tufts of once spiky hair was delicious enough to push Meryn over the edge herself. Wincing at the jabs punching her insides she whined moaning in anticipation all of her nerves tingling and begging for the same thing. Delirious she mewled in bliss,"I'm cumming-Auwh--G-Gonna c-!" Sentence cut off with a high pitch gasp, her eyes shut and her cheeks flushed red as the walls of her sleeve came closing in around him in throbs until a continuous beam of pleasure pulled tight claiming everything he had to give. "AGH," 2D's head suddenly flew backward to the ceiling before swiftly tilting it back to hers. His cheek pressed against her sweet smelling hair, vision blurry but staring at their lewd reflection. She was undoubtedly his; 2D half smiled his eyes shut and panting feverishly nuzzled against her lush hair as sweet release washed over his senses. "AH-Aah--Ahhh-hh awgh God!," came yelling out from his lungs as his orgasm gushed out in bursts that had him barreling forward at each propulsion. Warmth engulfed her from the inside out, the second rush of ecstasy sent Meryn's body jerking forward as she was fucked to oblivion and coated from the inside out at the explosion that took place shooting spurts of warm cum into her and pumping her tight pussy full. A scream pierced the air as she found herself climaxing again solely to being inseminated by her troubled lover. "Oouh," he gasped out, his grip weakening and strength failing. The secondary convulsions squeezing around his already over stimulated cock milked out the rest of what he had held inside; nowhere for it to go it seeped out from its rightful place down her thighs. Gooey white globs dripping into the seat of her panties situated below.  
  
  
Shakily, his arms fell by his sides only darting back out to catch the woman falling forward. His hold now gentle had him weakly fall forward with her onto the surface of the vanity heaving and panting above her. Catching his breath he peered at the reflection of them both beaded in sweat, skin flushed, and with similar dead looks in their eyes. "Mh-Meryn,"2D panted into her hair attempting to shake her to attention. No response. Worried, he found the energy to lift himself wobbling a bit at his propped up arms framing her. One hand trembled brushing the fringe out of her face, one brown eye looked back weakly the other remained shut where she lay silently watching his movements. Regardless of how tired he was, he pulled her back to his chest standing Meryn back up. Quieted, he surveyed the body he was trusted with. Slight red marks resembled his hands around her neck along with the bruised flesh he had bitten into earlier. Guilty his head fell recalling the only other time he'd hurt a woman. It both amazed him and scared him that both times, the pain he caused had to do with the same woman. Things were different now, and rather than choking out the petite girl who got in between them previously, he'd done so to the pretty little thing in question now.   
  
The person he saw before him was usually so sturdy but at the moment appeared to be ruined by his hand. 2D swallowed the lump growing in his throat, the apple bobbing accordingly in terror. Meryn half awake shook her head, wanting to reassure him that she'd be fine but her consciousness made it difficult. She could see the worry build up on his features, mouth ajar he whimpered watching her struggle. "Sowwy, I won' do tha' again Kat,"sniffling he tried his best to pull her into a gentle embrace wanting to show that he cared. Head tilted, he rest his head against hers petting the waves atop her head,"I din't mean ta hurt yew." With more force she shook her head from side to side mumbling a reply.  
  
"It's not possible for you to hurt me if I love everything you do."  
  
Stricken his eyes widened a bit unsure of what to make of that declaration. "Wha' are yew sayin'?"  
  
"You know what I'm saying...," she murmured losing consciousness for a brief moment entirely. Dead weight her head fell back against his chest rolling back to slight attention moments later. "I meant wha' I said y'know, I'll make it up t'ya...,"holding her close in an embrace he nestled his head against her getting a sleepy smile in response. Only able to half smile back he sighed,"Promise."


	36. Spiral Downward

Back in the confines of the place they called home, the usually noisy room was dead silent. On any other day 2D would be tinkering around creating some sort of melody or beat with any of the crazy number of synths he owned; strumming along on the banjo she bought him, and humming an array of tunes or playing old 80's songs on his keyboard. Even when the majority of his work was at the command of Murdoc, 2D never stopped enjoying what he did. However, as things were, he'd done nothing but brood and sit in silence since their return from the final trip inland until the album's release. Only the light sounds of pages turning could be heard through the creaking of their underwater bunker withstanding the changeable ocean current. Knees to her chest, Meryn sat alone on the bed flipping through the pages of a magazine Murdoc dropped in their chute. At this point in their captivity, the chute used expressly for feeding had been receiving other objects lately. In attempts of keeping his lead singer sane and the girl stuck there with him from causing any trouble, Murdoc from time to time would be so kind to drop something other than junk food, bottles of water, and random condiments that went bad without any way to refrigerate. Random magazines, generic movies and horribly acted porn DVDs would clank around in the metallic vent and come tumbling into the room at varying times of the day. The one she held was the latest.  
  
Nothing too engaging or riveting to be found, Meryn found it hard to ignore the obvious. Patience fleeting, her nerves had her jittering in place tapping the tips of her nails against the pages lined with an aromatic perfume sample. In the corner of her eyes, she could see him sitting in the corner of the room; the same place he'd been since their return. 2D sat cross-legged, his long legs pretzeled out in front of him. The very moment he entered the room, he situated himself there staring at the wall as his puzzled roommate stood aside in question. Throughout the day she'd made numerous attempts of getting his attention or starting a conversation, all of which had failed. Meryn wanted to give him space and let him speak or address her when he was ready, but hours of silence in a small room with another person was proving to be more annoying than uncomfortable. Fed up she peeked over the edge of the periodical, Meryn squinted staring a hole into his turned broad-shouldered back.  
  
He had undoubtedly been like this the whole day courtesy of their most recent sexual encounter. The very moment he came back to his senses, 2D seemed to regret how the whole ordeal came to be. Head hung low, he removed himself from the woman who stood bent over all in the name of accommodating his flash-in-the-pan desires. Taking in the sight of the illuminated woman, he saw the fatigue in her eyes that remained half open staring him down. From time to time, she flinched for reasons unknown to him only deriving more guilt to the distraught flummoxed man. From that moment until the moment he was finally granted the luxury of returning to Plastic Beach, the act from earlier in the day continued to eat away at 2D. The ride back was spent sneaking looks of concern to her and avoiding being caught. Never once looking Meryn in the eye, it was clear to her that he insisted on banishing himself to sitting in the far corner away from her. Even though she'd reassured him several times, it didn't matter.  
  
_O.K._  
  
Irritated, Meryn threw the magazine to the floor. Feet swinging over the edge to the carpet, she barreled over. The figure of her shadow gave away her approach, 2D flinched grasping his knees anticipating getting hit. "Why're you avoiding me?," instead Meryn plopped down directly behind him blurting out the question, being far too annoyed to beat around the bush. He began to fidget shaking his head rapidly from side to side. "Come on," she sighed. "Use your words D."  
  
No answer. Only the bowing of his head even further at his hunched posture.  
  
"Are you punishing yourself?",Meryn shrugged nearing wit's end. 2D immediately nodded in reply with his entire body bobbing at the movement of his head. "Annnnd the punishment is sitting in the corner?",she asked, happy he'd at least answered her in some way. More nodding. "Like a three-year-old...?", narrowing her eyes she purposely meant to insult him. 2D paused briefly looking up to the pipe covered ceiling as if her jab required deep thought. But before long he came to an answer, the answer being more nodding of course.  
  
"Ughhh," Meryn groaned out loud throwing her head back in exasperation. In the months that had gone by, 2D had become a bit...different. Difficult. The once warm and easy-going man was quieter, harder to guess, and easily provoked. He was depressed and flippant in nature to Murdoc, but as time went on, this behavior had gradually extended to her. It was true that these feelings were brought about by the insane circumstances they found themselves in, and the never-ending migraines that couldn't be mended by simply taking the remainder of Tylenol Meryn packed for her periods. Still, it was something she'd never witnessed; appalling and sad to watch. Unless it was with Murdoc. All she could do was offer support and claim she'd get revenge for them both when the time was right! But unfortunately, it wasn't enough to keep his spirits high.  
  
Shrinking in stature, Meryn hunched forward into a hopeless posture. Having never questioned him outright, thoughts of doubt brewed; months in captivity had changed 2D and it was beginning to make her wonder what else was subject to change. Meryn certainly didn't like her entrapment, but she knew as long as he was here with her she could manage. However, for 2D, Meryn's presence wasn't enough to make the continued imprisonment any more bearable. Images of each time they'd indulged in each other flashed by her mind; by this point, she had lost count of how many times they'd been physical, but she was able to recall the genuine happiness that beamed at her as he grinned from ear to ear after each time. From the very first time in their cell to where they presently were, each encounter had become less heartfelt and more of a activity the both of them could take part in. Gradually, his gapped smile became smaller and smaller, only blessing her with its presence of a couple of seconds at a time before reverting back to his blank air-headed stare. ' _Sure_ ,'she thought to herself,' _We laugh and talk like always...2D might smile during a joke or when he watched American sitcoms with me for the first time, but other than that he's almost...empty_.'  
  
Where Meryn sat a few inches behind, even the aura that surrounded him was different. Distant. She didn't want to admit it, but some part of this was scaring her. The absence of his carefree outlook on life and the unnerving silence was driving her crazy. The air was severely lacking in rambles and pointless chatter, if she didn't hear one dunder-headed comment in the next few seconds she feared her mind would snap. In a deep breath, she gulped swallowing the painful lump stinging in her throat. The man who'd taken physical ownership of her many hours ago was also different, but at least he exuded _something._ What happened hadn't hurt her as he thought, in fact it sustained her breathing new life into their relationship. The first emotion that felt real from 2D in weeks and it wound up making him shut down entirely.  
  
Shaky hands stretched out in hesitation wanting to simply wrap around him to catch a glimpse of the 2D she knew and missed; but like a coward, Meryn stopped short dropping them at her sides. Frustrated, she huffed whimpering in defeat. Vibrating in her inadequacy, Meryn regressed back to her pessimistic inclination. Only by the extended time with 2D did she legitimately feel content with where she'd wound up. Once hateful of her failure to be his savior, 2D had assured her that he wasn't angry with her and somehow found solace with her added company. Even though it remained true, that neither of them would be in this situation, had she simply stuck to the boring life she made for herself back in Chelmsford, England. To her knowledge at least. It was possible Murdoc would've found another way without her. No, she knew for a fact that in a world where she didn't exist, 2D would have wound up here held against his will on Plastic Beach. Even so, Meryn hated herself from this choice to the one that landed her in about ¥2,000,000 in debt to her grandparents. Not to mention the payments required to keep her, a U.S. citizen from being deported or the amount owed to her attorney.  
  
Even though they told her not to worry about it, Meryn insisted she repay them for the trouble and shame she brought. Grandpa and Grandma Kanno only cared about raising her, the remnant of their deceased beloved daughter in hopes that one of their grandchildren would lead a happy and successful life. Terra wanted nothing to do with any of them, and Sol wasn't coming back. Their happiness fell on her shoulders, and Meryn had more than ruined their retirement. A wave of raw emotion caused her body to shake without her realizing it. Lip quivering, she bit into the firm flesh not allowing herself to cry. Overwhelmed her hearing muted out the surrounding oceanic sounds, replacing it with audible sharp breaths being sucked in through her teeth.   
  
"Issa punishment f'me, not f'yew."  
  
2D's voice broke through, almost booming in her ears as the rest of the sounds in the bunker came back to her, being heard again. Looking over his shoulder, 2D acknowledged her having heard the repressed whimpers and her struggling to breathe. Once he'd noticed the tortured look on her face his body pivoted halfway facing her. Suddenly worried she might cry he ran off at the mouth. "Yer nawt cryin' are ya? Rioght? Kat?",each time his head turned a little more in inquiry searching for a sign of tearing. Meryn went stiff, now tight-lipped under his surveillance. Shifty brown eyes looked past him and his changing prodding motions clenching the hands at her sides into fists. "L-Look,"he wavered, moving to turn himself around completely,"I'm jus havin' a piss at myself. Nuthin's yer fault! I swear!" Placing his hand to his chest, 2D swore offering up a smile in hopes of calming her. "I've nevah hurt a gerl b'fore--Well--,"shaking his head he corrected himself,"I did once but I nevah want'd t'do it again!"  
  
"Who was it?", Meryn mumbled out through her teeth.   
  
"...'Melia."  
  
A little curious, a brow rose on her forehead,"Oh?"   
  
"Yeah...R'membah when yew caught us? In yer room...back at Kong?", 2D bit his lip in unease recalling the ordeal tapping his leg in restlessness. Slowly nodding, Meryn remembered the day well. Anxious to put the past into words, 2D stuttered through the shortened explanation," She--Well--'Melia forced me into it and-I dunno I jus' got real mad and sorta took it out on her." Reminiscing his hands shamefully reenacted the choking that ensued, the petite girl's throat could be felt in the palms of his hands. The little blond from his memory whimpered and struggled to breathe; overtaken by the fear that struck him back then, the very image of Amelia struggled ended up with her tiny throat snapping in two in the pressure of his hands. 2D rapidly blinked pushing the nightmarish view out of sight, out of mind. "S-S'not very manly but y-ya know I got a liddle weepy by tha end of it,"shakily he shrugged off the embarrassment that came with admitting to crying from a sex act.  
  
"Yew said yer O.K. Kat but...," he started, halfway eyeing the lightly bruised skin on her neck,"But it doesn't look loike it t'me." Feeling ashamed, he bridged his long fingers over each other tapping in sync with the rising disgust he felt for himself. It was apparent to him, that even now he had unintentionally caused pain by trying to sort things out himself. As it turned out isolating himself did nothing but further damage his ego. Captivated, Meryn tilted her head in silence taking in his words. No input from the woman he'd told the truth of the matter created an uncomfortable silence that was sure to make things even worse than they already were. "Uhmm...,"2D's croaked pushing for a response. But it seemed she was having trouble coming up with a reply. Watching the way her earth-toned eyes continuously shifted and the way her lips flashed uncomfortable expressions, he shrank even further. After several seconds, Meryn hummed under pressure until her thoughts came blurted out in fear of 2D clamming up again.  
  
"I wasn't hurt. You've never hurt me,"speaking out a stern but worried seriousness lined her claim. "But...I...choked you...pulled y'hair...,"somber, 2D's head fell at his own words. "I pushed yew 'round too Kat," staring at the carpet, he refused to look her in the eye for fear of seeing the inflamed redness on her neck in the shape of his own hands. With a heavy sigh, 2D sought out to tell her the plain naked truth of the matter; the reason for the disgust with himself and a possible reason for Meryn to look at him differently. "Ya know tha' worst f'it?",he started nervously fiddling with the crease of his jeans,"I loiked it both tiomes." Anxiety took over and 2D shook where he sat, halfway chuckling at his own cowardice,"There goes moi gentlemanly image huh?" A raddled large hand flew to his mouth in an attempt to hide the frown pulling his lips to hell along it his spirits.  
  
  
  
"I liked it too."  
  
  
  
Blue hair flung backward at the sudden lift of his head. In shock, 2D staggered to speak looking to Meryn in utter confusion,"I-I feel loike I did a bad fing though! Loike tha'...person did t'yew..." Now it was her turn to be confused. Clear befuddlement all over her features, she both winced at the suggestion and leaned back drawing a blank on what to even begin to say in response. "That's...you didn't...," tripping over her words, Meryn exhaled holding her head in the palm of her hand. No way around it, her lips tightened into a distinct frown forcing herself to ask for clarification,"Are you saying you felt like you raped me?"  
  
"I--I dunno--Ihm uh???",2D stuttered completely tongue-tied,"It woz loike I bullied yew 'round and used yew up! Kinda loike how I wuld moi ol' fleshlioght--Loike a toy basically!" He was shaking nonstop as he spoke out his concerns. The jagged teeth peeking out from his lips chattered a bit waiting for a response. Quieted by the declaration of his unease, Meryn honestly didn't know how to react. Wanting to take his words seriously she thought up reassuring things to offer up in hopes of soothing his conscience. But, the absurdity of it all was proving to be too much to respond appropriately. "I dunno Kat-It-It jus seems rapey t'me...," he continued with a bleak look on his face,"And tha's somefing I don' wanna be." No dice. So far beyond her comprehension, she scoffed, half-way snorting in laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. By the immediate dark-eyed glare shot back at her, it was evident that he didn't like it.  
  
"Wha's so funny Kat? I'm bein' serious 'ere! Yew of all people shuld know how rotten those people are..."  
  
  
  
_Ah. There he is._ The 2D that would dare and challenge her.  
  
Just like that, the uncomfortable giddiness dissipated. Almond eyes narrowed into tiny slits holding in the urge to bark out a cold and despicable reply. Wanting nothing more than to act out, Meryn quickly looked off to the side holding her tongue and her breath. 2D was generally a blunt person, someone who speaks first and thinks later...Much, much later. And in the months they'd been together, she noticed that it extended to her as well. His mouth had gotten him in trouble plenty with Murdoc; hell, even before they wound up here. There were distinct memories of 2D saying snide or offensive things every once and awhile. It'd irritate Murdoc mostly or Russel even, but with herself and Noodle he seemed to be more mindful when it came to the words that flew out of his mouth. But. That was then, and this is now. Contemplating how to not rip his head off, as she would anyone else that uttered something so presumptuous, Meryn exhaled calming herself as much as possible. Drumming her fingers against her knee, she forced a smile,"I **do** know, D. So believe me when I tell you, 'You are nothing like **those** people."  
  
The smile was more of a wry piercing sneer than anything else, accented by the scathing tongue putting emphasis in simple words with a condescending tone. 2D took notice rethinking what he said. Wanting to reword it, he merely opened his mouth again in slight protest,"But--." Only one word registered before he was cut off. "No. Don't argue with me," she warned clenching her teeth. "If you keep trying to convince me you're a rapist, I promise you--", Meryn paused lacing her fingers together in a pleading manner. "I **promise** ," she reiterated. Boldly grasping his hands, Meryn leaned forward an inch or two making it a point to look him in his bloodied dark eyes,"I will lose it, and break the next thing I see."   
  
He gulped, slouching in posture. If there ever was a reason to shut up, Meryn's warning trumped every other consequence that resulted from his mouthing off. 2D fell silent retracting into a submissive state of mind. Heeding her advice, he nodded not wanting to see an example of the infamous rage he'd heard much about or be at the end of it. Still a bite in her tone, she elaborated,"You didn't force me. I said 'yes' to everything that happened--" Fed up, the woman snickered tapping her leg in impatience,"I don't know why you keep implying it but it's pissing me off."  
  
"Are we...fighting?",2D mumbled a tad afraid to speak out of turn. Meryn paused, the harshness of her expression unchanging but contemplative. Finally, she groaned dragging a hand through her hair,"Seems like it." Nodding, he sighed solemnly picking at the skin on his bottom lip. After seconds of silence, she sighed herself rubbing the temples on her forehead. "What you said earlier hit a sore spot," her voice lowered in volume into a whisper as she seemed to be ashamed of threatening him. "W-Which part?",stuttering he sat up straight attentively. Things really did fly out of his mouth. As usual, he was left oblivious as to where he went wrong. "Tch,"Meryn sucked in air through her front gap,"Of course I know how disgusting rapists are..." Head shaking from side to side, she murmured under her breath,"Don't be stupid." Although the tone was hushed, he still seemed to hear her. "Kay...Sorry bout tha'...,"shrinking forward in more bad posture 2D sighed,"Ya see? This is why I shuld be in tha corner...!"  
  
Fingers keeping themselves busy pulled at the tattered portion of carpet in between them, twirling the fabric around her index. "Hmph," she moped with a tinge of sarcasm,"All this because you want a punishment." Serious her terrene irises flickered up to the glum man squinting, with the gall to keep up the act,"Want me to punish you?" Shrugging she eyed his now rattled appearance in search of an answer. The dumbfounded doof sat there on his scrawny butt momentarily at a loss for words, but before long 2D traded the open-mouthed astonishment for a cool smirk. Curious and pensive, he gradually began to nod excitably,"Yeah...Yeah! O.K. Why don' yew make fings even?" A single brow rose on Meryn's face pondering what he meant by that. "I used yew so go on and use me,"2D suggested twiddling his thumbs in his lap. "Seems fair t'me,"pooching out his lips into a pout he accepted it.  
  
"...Ughh," with a hearty sigh and groan, she rose to her knees. Quick hands darted with the backing of the power in her arms for his throat, sharp nails pressed hard against his skin with enough force to send him falling backward onto the carpet. "Oof!," came choked out through his grinding teeth as his back collided with the floor. Voids narrowed could see the woman sitting atop his submitting body with poise. Wispy and tangled locks came floating down like feathers to tickle his cheeks gone red flushed with blood. Surprise registered on his features, delayed by how sudden she jumped into action. Lips ajar, he wheezed blinking up at her as both her hands continuously restricted his breathing. A harsh squeeze had his tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips when the aggression that fueled her strength sizzled away. Abruptly, Meryn's hands lifted trembling in sudden regard for his well being,"I'm...sorry." The air was welcomed back into his lungs and 2D sprung back to life. Coughing and clearing his throat, he sat up like it was no big deal,"I did iht harder than tha'..." In a complaint, his head swiveled off to the side adding to his expressed disappointment," Also kissed ya too..."   
  
"Huh?!", Meryn's brain seemed to struggle to keep up with his carelessness. One eye squinted while the other remained wide open in utter astonishment,"Are you serious?" Unaware as to why she remained flabbergasted, 2D tilted his head to the side,"Bout wha'?" Wit's end, her arms flew into the air. "I don't get it!",she declared shrugging off the many questions not completely formed in her head. "Ahaha," he cackled watching her closely. "I don't get nuthin' either!",2D chirped now finding the ordeal hilarious. Meryn closed her eyes lifting herself off his lap, numb by the nonstop discombobulation. "Wait a sec!",he asked in plea. Long fingers threaded through the loops of her jeans, snapping Meryn back in place in his lap. Perplexed her eyes shot back open finding herself being swiftly pulled forth by both his calloused hands pressed firmly on her cheeks. Guided to his lips, he stopped short before they could connect, to examine the not so photogenic version of Meryn. Her face was held inches from his own mashed between his wide palms into a chipmunk-cheeked pucker. "Pfft," he snorted chuckling at her dopey big-eyed expression made by the pressure of his hands. "S-Shut up!",she squeaked.  
  
"Hol' on now!," more snickering ensued,"Jus' tryna make amends, love." Heavy but feminine hands sought out for revenge slapping both of the man's cheeks together in the same forest rodent manner. "Hmpgh!",his laughter was stifled in an instant. But no matter, there was still something he had to do. Each of their faces stayed mashed in an ugly pucker as he joined lips with hers. It was silly, but they clung for some time as if this is the exchange that should have happened in the first place. With time both of their grips loosened into a wanting tug along his jawline and a soft cupping caress to her cheek. Finally, he let go, allowing the both of them breathe. "I din't mean t' make yew upset," he spoke low with his lips brushing against hers,"I jus truly felt loike I did somefing wrong."   
  
"I know...," she sighed wearily,"But you didn't." A warm huff escaped his parted lips,"I don' get why I loike iht though or where it even came frum! Boys aren't s'posed t'be ol' rough and rowdy wiff gerls..." Meryn shrugged,"Maybe we'll find out together?" A thick brow rose at her low toned, sultry suggestion. The promise in her words undoubtedly sparked a reaction to take place below. "REALLY turns me on when yew say fings loike tha'...",2D swallowed hard scratching the back of his head. "I noticed,"smirking mischievously she laughed pointing at where she was currently sitting atop his lap. Swinging a leg over, Meryn climbed off of him momentarily sitting on her knees,"Speaking of sex, I gotta take my pill..." Trailing off she looked around for an indication of time. "Wha' pill?",he asked.  
  
"THE pill."  
  
"Oooh rioght," he suddenly realized. Wanting to be helpful, he fished into his back pocket for his phone sighing at how rarely he got to use it,"Tis uhm...bout' 9 o'clock now." Nodding Meryn bounced to her feet sauntering off in search of the pills she'd yet to unpack from their most recent trip. "By the way...," she started kneeling at the duffel, "I was able to check my email while you guys were recording earlier." "R-Really?!", he blinked in disbelief. "Yeah, Murdoc's been really good about WiFi restrictions, but in Santiago I got access from one of those sketchy places next to the studio...,"sifting through the bag she eventually found what she was looking for. A small frown tugged at her mouth noticing the depleting amount of pills remaining. Only having a 4 month supply prescribed 3 times a year, and nowhere near a pharmacy Meryn and 2D would soon come to a problem. By the end of her next period, she'd be at risk of becoming pregnant and at their rate it'd happen immediately. "Kat?",his voice broke her train of thought. "Oh uh sorry I got distracted," Meryn waved her hand about putting on a tight smile. Quickly punching out the last pill of the 2nd week, she nonchalantly popped it into her mouth feigning an upbeat attitude. "Anyways," she swallowed shoving them deep in the bag,"I sent Russel an email."  
  
"Oh!," cackling, 2D snorted at an all-time high for the moment,"Wicked! Wha'd he say?" "He contacted me weeks ago actually," she started to explain taking a seat back down beside him. "Nothing yet,"Meryn started grinning,"Before you guys left he told me didn't check it much...and that I should just text him instead. Buuut since Murdoc cut our service, this is the best I could do for now. I told him where we were--Ahahah and knowing him if he sees what I sent he won't take it well." 2D beamed from ear to ear,"Good good. At least we got an ace in tha' hole. Russ ol'ways hated iht when Murdoc forced people into stuff!" Knees brought to her chest, Meryn giggled,"I may have also added that there's a Cyborg version of Noodle patrolling around. You know how he doesn't like any form of tampering with the dead--Well dead _people_ at least." Humming to himself 2D swayed from side to side,"Hey Kat...D'yew fink Noodle's really alive somewhere?"  
  
The memory of the young Japanese guitarist, just 4 years her junior resurfaced. "I don't know," she spoke in longing to see her once more. "But if she is, it's going to be so weird--F-For me at least,"Meryn rambled speaking over herself. "Hows tha'?",2D asked lying down on his stomach perched up on his elbows. "Because, she'll be 19 this year," as it left her mouth she cringed at the revelation. Realization flashed on his features,"T-Tha' IS scary! She woz 8 when we found 'er ya know! Or woz it 7? 9?"  
  
"A fetus," Meryn snarkily added. "EUuuW", he stuck out his tongue,"Can yew imagine?"   
  
This is the 2D she loved so much, the one that saw life through the eyes of a child. Unnaturally sunny all of a sudden, Meryn wanted this version of him to stick around forever. "I missed you," came floating from her lips. "Whaddya mean? I din't go nowhere!",he said matter of factly scratching at the hair regrowing on his chin. "Heh, I didn't mean literally...," on her knees she settled closer tapping the palms of her hands on her lap as she adjusted to sit with legs stretched out, urging him to come. Accordingly, he rest his head to her thighs lined with tight torn denim, playing with one of the white tattered tears of the jean fabric close to her left knee. "How's your head?",she asked running her fingers through his hair. 2D sighed turning over on his back placing the back of his head toward the warmth between her thighs, acknowledging Meryn's concern," Hurts." Saddened, her full lips thinned out into a slant. "Worried bout me, Kitty Kat?",he asked cocking his head to the side. Sighing she watched the coy expression breaking out on his face as he looked up to her. "No no, don' worry yer pretty head bout it,"trying to make her smile, 2D playfully poked up at her lips with a single finger. "I know I've been cranky...but it's that sod Murdoc's fault! Nawt yers," he suddenly became restless crossing his legs over each other.   
  
Soon after, his heel began to tap against the carpet along with the grazing fingers ghosting over her lips. "I wish there was something I could do," Meryn mumbled to herself. "Hm?",sitting up briefly he tried to hear what she said. Gentle hands pat his hair, hushing him to lie back down,"Nothing. Nothing." If there was something to do, she would gladly do it. Thinking about it, was there anything that could be done? "It's O.K. I've had these migraines f'years yeah? Nuthin' new f'me, its jus tha norm,"2D rest his head back in place, so comfortable he could easily drift off to sleep. He seemed at peace despite the pain, his face showing little signs of agitation. The pattern of his breathing slowed from its previous excitement into a light hum. Endearing longing stares went unnoticed by him, it was for the best, Meryn didn't want to disturb him. But, the inner machinations of her mind had come to a conclusion in the meantime and it needed to be said. As softly as she could she started up the thought," D do you get any head pains when we...um...uh..." Completely awkward, she trailed off wanting to rescind the idea.  
  
"Hehe," chuckling he shook his head. "When we're makin' iht?",his eyes opened in curiosity. "Nah, it's the opposite really,"in deep thought he yawned wide smacking his lips once it ended. "Same fing happens when I'm wiff yew darling,"flashing his signature chilly stare he sported a proud smile. Her face felt so warm all of a sudden. As dorky as he was, 2D continuously managed to enchant her with just a look. A little embarrassed she cleared her throat,"How about when...I tickle you?" "Uhhh probably bout tha same, doesn't hurt or anyfing...,"blowing puffs of air he knew not the danger he was in. "I see, and out of curiosity where are you most ticklish at?",Meryn maintained the facade aimlessly checking her nails. Oblivious he continued to bring about his demise, naming the sensitive areas that might as well be weak spots in the grand scheme of her plans,"Tha worst is under moi arms, tha one afta is on moi sides...Uhm lemme fink..."

Nodding along, she held her chin letting out little hums of acknowledgment. And then it happened, the very second he caught eye contact 2D saw the devious plan in her eyes. All color drained from his face as he lie there frozen, afraid to make a move. Meryn simply smiled down at him shaking her head in sympathy. Sprung forth he suddenly dove for the safety of the bathroom only to be grabbed midway and wrestled to the ground. "N-NOeNONOnonoNO!",clawing at the carpet he snorted and hissed bursting into an uproarious laugh. But it was too late. Quick and nimble fingertips tortured him, with a haughty cartoonish cackle Meryn triumphantly pinned him to the floor. Squirming and bucking below, blue hair flung from side to side,"OKAY OKAY STAHP IHT!"  
  
"The hell are you two doing?",came patronizingly from the unannounced appearance of the green man in the doorway. Simultaneously the both of them yanked their attention to the intrusion. "Satan you two, and here I thought you'd be up to something more interesting that whatever the hell this is,"Murdoc griped digging into his pointed ear. So quickly, all happiness drained away from the lead singer's face. All that hard work, gone to waste. Irritated, Meryn sat up, rising from his lap,"Must you ruin everything?" Murdoc shrugged unbothered,"It's what I do, love." Meryn rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to 2D, who sat up at attention furrowing his brows in silent but evident distaste. "Whats that look for?",the green man welcomed himself into their cell, approaching the disgruntled man only to further push his buttons. 2D groaned lowering his head watching as Meryn disappeared into the corner of his eye. Although he questioned it, he said nothing returning his immediate attention to the bully boy before him. It was at times like these, that he hated his life.  
  
Sneering, Murdoc kicked lightly at his knee pushing for a response; only to find a far more interesting sight loom in from the bathroom. "What're you doing over there Ryn?",her activity piqued his curiosity. In silence, a huge grin tore across her face. Standing there with a container of Morton's salt she suddenly stalked over flinging salt directly into the face of the nuisance. Crusty hands shot up shielding the wave of burning sodium from hitting his eyes,"AWgh ugh what the hell--"   
  
More silence and salt.  
  
"What the f--?!"  
  
"Salt the snail!",Meryn declared half laughing her ass off as each wave backed the man closer towards the door. 2D spat out chortled uncontrollable laughter, attempting to hide it slapping both hands over his mouth. "You've gotta be fuc--", Murdoc hissed getting a mouthful. "Get outta here Snail! YAH!",she was having way too much fun. Not having to push or shove the man out, he walked himself out spitting and hacking derogatory words at the door. Unable to keep up the show any longer, Meryn cackled slowly closing the door in his face. Ignoring the protests beyond the metal door, 2D rolled about on the carpet trying to catch his breath. "I r'membah tha' frum that show yew showed me!",wheezing 2D wobbled to his feet. Coughing and hacking he whooped feeling invigorated,"Wha' woz tha' fing called again? The one in Philly?"   
  
"It's Always Sunny!" She nodded happy that he got the joke, but in the very least she figured it might've been random enough to make him laugh. There wasn't much she could do for him here, but at least that worked. Coming down from the hilarity of a couple minutes ago, she continued the thought put on hold in earlier attempts of making him smile,"I think I got a solution to our problem earlier, D." Head tilting in question he waiting for her to speak again. Her face gone serious, Meryn boldly made a suggestion,"Whenever Murdoc gives you hell, I want you to take it out on me." He swallowed hard, the Adam's apple bobbing in his throat, not prepared for such a blunt and crude statement. Moments ago she had been so spontaneously eccentric and now here she was telling him to fuck her until he wasn't frustrated anymore. She might as well have hit him with a truck.  
  
"Yesh, Kat", he stuttered,"Kinda got me speechless..." An idiotic grin stretched across his face as he timidly considered it. Knowing well, their fun might soon come to an end, Meryn had no shame in indulging in sexploration. "Think about it~," she coquettishly framed her face with her hands, batting her lashes before she broke the theatrics to clean up the salt dusted all over the floor. "Gotta clean it up now...," awkwardly she shrugged pointing at the carpet with a ruefully laughable look on her face. 2D chuckled watching her scramble about sweeping the white grains up with her hands and carefully walk each palm full to the trash bin. "It was worth it," she mumbled dusting her hands above the garbage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone remember that scene in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? No? Just me? Welp...
> 
> *Conversion of ¥2,000,000 is about $20,000.*


	37. The Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (° ͜ʖ°)

It was strange. A smirk jerked at the corners of 2D's mouth re-witnessing the antics of Michael Scott in the American version of The Office. Something as simple as watching DVDs already experienced time and time again brightened the cloudy atmosphere he'd been subject to all day. Per usual, all time spent with Murdoc was draining in itself and today was no different than the rest. Forced to perform and then locked away at the end of the day like a show pony on a farm with questionable practices. Having undergone various forms of torture, he continuously found himself pondering the suggestion of the pretty woman at his side along the foot of their bed.   
  
Many times he'd been made the victim of the green man's selfish acts, but seldom did the poor guy ever do anything about it other than utter some reprehensible back sass. Undoubtedly, Murdoc packed a punch and the proof was ever so obvious in the swelling of his cheek. These days, he thought it best to merely be an easy target and let whatever act of violence or aggression happen as it would regardless. Sour, 2D rolled his eyes folding his arms across his chest. Tensing up he held his breath at the nagging familiarity of bullying and abuse as he came to the conclusion that **this** was his life. No matter where he went or how much he pleaded, 2D would always be dragged to the never-ending hell that was Murdoc Niccals.  
  
"Are you O.K?"  
  
Meryn's wary but doting voice rung directly into his ear, sending a chill up his spine. Blue hair swung at the swift turn of his head towards her, a few strands tickling his ears in the process and his eyes suddenly wide at attention. Lips still in a contemptuous pout, he hummed in a low groan too in his head to actually answer what she'd asked. Always the butt of the joke or the punching bag of other people, he wondered at moments like this what would be like if he actually fought back or flat out refused a ridiculous request. The idea was laughably out of his reach and 2D was well aware. Obsidian eyes focused on the force of nature beside him, a brow slowly rising on her face in inquiry after no response. Here was a person stronger than he, never afraid to defend him and kind enough to sit with him through this hell. A young woman who offered herself up to be his fighting chance and now granting him with the opportunity of experiencing triumphance. To let loose and act un-apologetically. Months ago, 2D thought being strong was beyond him, but now with a golden opportunity that stared into the dark windows of his soul in concern, he **could** be.  
  
"Uh...?", she broke his train of thought awkwardly nudging at his angular shoulder. "You've just been staring at me for several minutes," Meryn uncomfortably shifted from side to side finding something else to focus on after failing to read his blank expression. "O-Oh y-yeah! Uh sorry!",2D's voice cracking under pressure having not said anything and thoroughly managed to creep out his only ally. Scratching the corner of his nose, he felt embarrassed looking back to the small lit T.V. screen. "Something on your mind?",she continued, waving her hand about dismissing the poor attention span she knew him to have. Leaning into his line of sight, her head tilted in question," D?" Sharply inhaling, his broad shoulders rose and fell,"Yeah yeah jus a bit..."  
  
Chocolatey orbs studied his troubled posture taking note of how he appeared to struggle looking at her all of a sudden. The red tinted by the darkness in his eyes flicked off from left to right in attempting to come to a conclusion. Only a few short days after she pitched the idea of taking their sex life to another level, Meryn received no response but in that time, the idea was increasingly too delicious to fully ignore. Hesitant he gulped, placing a less than confident heavy hand on her shoulder,"There's...somefing I wanna do." Unsure of what kind of conversation they'd be having, confusion registered on her features. "U-Uh," he cleared his throat finding the courage to briefly look her in the eye,"Could yew close yer eyes?"  
  
"O-Oh."  
  
Realization struck clearing the number of questions stacking up in her mind. Meryn shifted on her knees facing him and neatly placing her hands in her lap. Swallowing the shyness of her own, the almond-shaped eyes came to a close. Butterflies fluttered about in his chest as the spotlight came down on him. Now what? If nothing else, her readiness and trust were reassuring, but it all came back to making the move. Meryn's submissive and kind nature with him was both arousing and unnerving, even more so knowing that any vulnerability was expressly for his eyes only. 2D could do anything he wanted, and she trusted him enough to put her body in his clumsy hands. Perhaps he just didn't trust himself.  
  
Nervously he shook his head clenching his grayed lids shut in search of the will that allowed him to be so bold back in Santiago. And thankfully it found him, in the memory of harassment and the stinging slap that burned in recollection of where Murdoc's open hand had landed just an hour ago. Dour, his mouth twisted into a knot as his hand clenched the delicate but sturdy shoulder directly in front of him. On its own, the expressive hand glided along the dip of her collarbone then taking a firm grasp at the underside of her jaw. He opened his eyes, the sight before him a reminder of why he'd ever thought to rough her up in the first place. Tender plush lips parted at the jut of her jaw under his control, staring into the voids of starless space. Tilting her head to a slant the force of thin firm lips came mashing against hers stuffing the entirety of his tongue urgently into her mouth. The force caused her to waver trying to maintain balance sitting on her knees, the hand holding head in place wasn't letting go, to Meryn's unexpected delight it was increasingly harsh and possessive.

A back and forth mess of teeth and tongue fought her on control, the addition of the eager hand diving into her hair glided through rounding the back if her head with the other now trailing up her spine. His reward was the softly muffled mewl that came vibrating into his mouth. And that was exactly what he wanted to hear. The open mouth snog fest came to an abrupt stop; the luxury of air entering her lungs made possible as 2D drew away. On the intake of the sharp breath, her voice hitched flustered by this version of him. On cue, Meryn's heart joined the airy emotion beating at a dangerous pace, taken aback she blinked swallowing the swelling tongue that choked her of normal speech. An obvious embarrassment was reflected in the shifty marbles that looked away from him.  
  
"Heh--Jus' remembah'd--I fink I owe yew f'tha las' time," a dumb wide grin tore along the length of his face infatuated with how Meryn clearly struggled to keep herself composed whilst practically swooning and starry-eyed in the palms of his hands. The earthy orbs flickered awkwardly to the floor staring at the half-opened DVD case nearby; the hum of the smallish television and the happenings on screen in low volume served as a distraction giving him the upper hand. Not sure of what to do, 2D let his desires and curiosity decide for him. Arms outstretched brought her closer practically falling forward in his lap, staggering on her knees she caught herself before balance was lost only to find herself quickly turned around and sat in between his outstretched legs. In the same heartbeat, the lanky appendages looped inward at the small space in between her bare thighs pulling them apart in a hurried manner. Pretzeled around her and calves pinning the underside of the toned thighs, 2D easily held her place. The strength of both his elongated limbs bridged over and tightened making any attempt to close them impossible.  
  
"Oof," her back slammed against his chest at the aggressive pull closer. His hands dragged up her torso rounding the mounds of her heaving chest surprising her with the careless yank of the T-shirt once draping over her hips. One smooth motion exposed her breasts to the chilly air, the rosy peaks immediately firming in response. Goosebumps broke out all over in anticipation; blinking herself alert to witness his right hand dive below disappearing at the parting of her pried open legs into the lacy fabric of her undergarment. Movement of his length calloused fingers tented the panties until he'd located what he was aiming for. Slowly the tips of his finger slid along the warm silky slit, making delicate circles at the little bundle of nerves amidst Meryn's swelling folds. At loss of words, a shivering whimper escaped the parting of her lips tilting her head backwards to the crook of his neck. Starry eyes twinkled peering at the sideways angle completely enamored by the confidence that this normally awkward costumer exuded.  
  
A kind smile appeared as he blinked back, his frontmost teeth biting into his lip; 2D found himself capable of dominating the young woman yearning with shiny eyes to belong to someone. A cool breezy glint in the voids shrouded in the darkness of old blood struck a cord on its own, the addition of one eye coming to a narrow squint caused Meryn to twitch in intimidation. "Hmn," he hummed amused by the tic. The long mitt like fingers of his pushed the interfering thin fabric already slathered with glossy fluid to the side, where it would stay in the divet of skin between her vulva and the beginning of her thigh. Kind became someone devious as his elation stretched further on his face into a gaped brilliant grin as her womanhood became exposed being spread apart by two fingers. Watching the vulnerable and shy doe eyes widen at the followed insertion of the two digits, he chuckled shamelessly coy. The hand busied with the overflowing tight handful of breast lessened its grip, instead grazing along the raised chilly nip squeezing the peak between his index and abnormally long thumb.  
  
"Ah," she shuddered at the sensation involuntarily grinding her hips forth wordlessly asking for more. 2D wore the smuggest look taken by surprise at her efforts wriggling the knobby extensions back and forth inside. They plunged further, at a teasingly slow pace. He liked that she was eager, but the role he was playing now would allow no such thing. Harder the wiry legs pressed forbidding any more attempts of hurrying him. "Uh-uh," he shook his head. "Sit still love," panted out from the slight parting of his lips mid-smirk, just before yanking her head in a more convenient direction and mashing them back to hers. Leaving the demanding nipple, he took interest in grasping at her jaw extended by the small 'o' that shaped her pursed lips. Consistent moans stopped short at the yank of her head. "Nh-," she squeaked before being silenced by the pressure of mouth to mouth contact.  
  
Fingers wormed further into the narrow canal until they could go no further, both disabled by the webbing of his hands and Meryn's anatomy. A slight frown tugged at his features, disappointed he couldn't simply defy his and her own physiological makeup. No matter; the expression softened in acceptance, he still had his objective to complete. Once more, he jerked away from their once clung connection with the intentions of reducing Meryn to his plaything. The moment the two fingers were removed from heat, they shoved back into the hilt sending electricity up her spine with a jolt forward that was inevitably denied under 2D's restraint. Taking no time he repeated the action, finding the incessant squirming against him cute. The pace was set to an indescribable goring meant solely for toying with her. From time to time changing from harsh to gentle and stabbing speeds to careful prodding.  
  
Her hair frizzed up breaking a sweat whilst the mind-boggling sensation took place. Having a heart attack where she was forced to sit, a fiery feeling burned in the pit of her stomach. Teeth clenched together at the unfathomable finger-fucking, using her own jittery hands to grasp at the carpet her hips jerked forward going absolutely nowhere thanks to the surprisingly physically superior 2D, only being held tighter as a result. "HnmhNNh,"halfway shrieked from her vocal cords only able to see a blur of the dimly lit room once the T.V. had gone dark. Eyes rolled back in astonishment, cackling along for the ride like a drunken fool. His furrowing brows rose witnessing the madness that seemed to have taken over. With an almost bow-like arch, she leaned back catching the lips that shot forth to meet hers. Between the force, lewd gasps were made kittenish by the oral muscle peeking out from the corner of her mouth. Heavy-lidded, watery eyes stared lovingly into his black eyes. 2D gulped swallowing the image, trying to maintain having the upper-hand. Still, his body reacted with the rod-like protrusion pressing against Meryn's lower back.  
  
As she wriggled about and squirmed, the manhood between their bodied hardened further. It twitched against the bucks and arching, masturbating him at every crazed movement. The seriousness of his face flinched as he found it was difficult to control his own arousal with so much visual, physical, and auditory stimuli. Trembling from ragged breaths, the shaky hand left her jaw trailing to promptly grip the fingers around her throat. Brown eyes wide with wonder suddenly slammed shut the drilling of his fingers knocking at her sanity. Colors faded, everything becoming gray as the light was snuffed out by fleeting consciousness. A continuous warmth boiling inside being punched in the womb nonstop built up even with the majority of Meryn's senses failing. Eyes rolled back in her head unable to draw in air, merely being fiddled with like a doll but still human enough to let out a delirious raunchy mewl of otherworldly ecstasy the millisecond 2D granted her the ability to breathe again.  
  
"W-Wicked...," panted into her ear as she lay there _._ Her body gave, going limp against his chest she lay there simply trying to breathe easy again. Devoid eyes took notice of the growing arousal pulling his mouth to a somewhat silly toothy grin. A hand shot down to assist bringing Meryn over the edge. The forgotten swollen clit not given the attention deserved for sometime tingled finally being spoiled again by the circular motions from earlier. Simultaneously pleased by two skillful hands, she moaned out seeing the magic take place between her legs below. Nimble fingers of a man with the talent of playing multiple instruments stuffed in and out of her entrance, disappearing behind the now side to side rub down of her aching pussy.   
  
It was maddening in the best of ways; no control over her volume and inconsistent labored breaths. Shuddering, whining, and an aggressive lip biting groan ensued with no sign of stopping. Sharp breaths and giggly demented mewls livened up the room. It never stopped, even when he eventually broke a sweat himself. Painfully hard and almost drooling with needs, 2D rest his chin in the crook of her neck watching the battered fleshy pink skin undergo a plethora of sensations. He swallowed hard gnawing at his lip in anticipation.  
  
"AhnnN Ouuhh m'GAwd,"voice wavering along with the contractions that could be felt throughout her body, Meryn found herself going insane shouting out in a shrill whine vulgar gibberish at the height of the mountain she'd been teetering on for far too long. "F-Feels loike yer gunna cum,"2D looked on entranced, eyeing the heaving of her breasts and trailing down the length of her tensed abdominal muscles to the glistening pink bits he toyed with. No human response uttered other than the frazzled half-sobs sounding through her teeth; she bucked against his hands about to fall from the peak as her hips came winding forth shrieking out a warning. 2D's grip pulled tight restraining her of flailing as she fell over the edge plummeting back down to earth.   
  
Her head flew back as her body fought against his hold shouting a cum sullied version of his name in frenzied cries, hair gathered at his chest some loose ends falling forward and frizzing along her dampened panicked chest. Gleefully intrigued he leaned forward with a smile on his face, watching it all take place gawking at the violent orgasm that strained and tensed her entire body. The messy locks flung over his shoulder at the declaration that tore her clenched teeth apart. "FhuCk-khh-AGH-AWH!," belted out in a demented panicked shriek. Gasped moans spat out with force as she literally lost her mind withstanding the waves that threatened to kill her. "AAaaw--fuuuck yeeeah," her volume lowering to a sweetened pitch, still fiery with the vulgarity that fluttered into his ears.   
  
"F-fuckin' hell Kat," a painful lump lodged in 2D's throat caused his voice to crack. At long last he spared her, removing the fingers from her pulsing heat. The knobbed tips left her overwhelmed clit taking glossy threads of the substance that gleamed all over her inner folds. "Mmhn," she went limp trembling in his arms moaning at the aftershocks coursing through her. After such a long time of being held in place, his staggering appendages released her legs from the splayed open restriction. Slouching she nearly lost her balance catching herself before she fell with the palms of her hands against the flooring. Shivering weakly in between his lap she stumbled a bit, the edge of her elbow brushing against the painful tented erection poking at her from behind.  
  
"C-Careful nao," he winced.  
  
In a dead-eyed daze, Meryn looked over her shoulder smiling sweetly. A mischevious shimmer in her eye, she suddenly mustered up the strength to turn herself around and face him. On her hands and knees, she loomed in taking interest in the obvious erection. Awkwardly he looked away for a moment, tight-lipped by the lascivious display he witnessed moments ago. "Yew uh got r-real wet,"2D stuttered a bit flustered, his voice warbling in too much excitement. A playful hand rose to show her exactly what he meant, the evidence to back up his claim was dragged along to inner line of her lips. Blank-faced, Meryn parted them with a stuck out tongue that perplexed him. His eyes widened to the size of saucers at her behavior and without thinking the length of his finger covered in her essence dipped inside gliding an accumulating glob along her tongue the rest messily sticking to her lips.  
  
Acting on his impulse he leaned into a cum swapping tonguing kiss; starved of her long enough 2D lapped at the sticky fluid with a bold flick of his yearning tongue. "Hm...wicked hawt," he moaned tilting his head with hers fondly. Deeply tasting and taking back what his hard work got him, he chuckled savoring the moment; hardly noticing when she pulled away placing a quick peck upon his lips then disappearing downward in between the heavy-lidded blinks of his smitten eyes. Hair tossed over her shoulder out of the way as her hands quickly worked to unfasten the belt snugly around his hips and undid the zipper that contained what she wanted. "Oh-uhm", he blinked seeing himself bounce freely from the binds of his briefs. No indication or warning, Meryn leaned in licking her lips before taking the entirety of his cock into her mouth.  
  
"AAahh-t-tch," he moaned out stuttering with his head flying back; immediately snapping forth again not wanting to miss a moment. "Aah~,"2D shivered a floaty moan, watching himself get sucked off between Meryn's soft plump lips. The roof of her mouth clamped as she bobbed up and down with a slutty look on her face. Warm suckled flesh throbbed inside, as his eyes narrowed in amazement. 2D sucked in air through the spaces where teeth once were coming in contact with the very back of her throat. Caressing her cheeks he could feel her mouth becoming full and vacant at each instance. Vision trailed everywhere from the mouthful of his cock to the teary-eyed dick taking stare. "Yer so gud, love," he chuckled. "Mmh", a soft moan sounded, his head spinning at the way her throat closed around his length. Thumb tracing over her parted lips 2D breathed in deeply before he regained control. "Aw-Awright darling," he choked out lifting her head with an audible 'pop' at the removal of her addicting oral entrance. A string of precum bridged from the corners of her eager salivating mouth. The fluid collecting as it dripped to her perky breasts below.  
  
Bit by bit full awareness returned leaving her blinking in confusion as to why he'd stop her; more importantly the to the whorish behavior displayed moments ago, just then becoming embarrassed. On her knees, she awkwardly backed away in a skittish march sporting an odd hangdog look. Too flustered to convey any of it she looked just past the man re-positioning himself to his own bony knees. In between blinks, he moved forward wrapping both arms possessively around her hips, literally pulling Meryn out of the defeatist mindset in close proximity to his gangly body. The erection stuck upright in between them with precum squeezing out to her stomach against him. He sighed smirking to himself,"D'ya know why I stahped yew?" She blinked unable to speak in debilitating circumstances such as this. Although she hadn't answered, he continued on inwardly filling in the blanks himself. Lifting the shirt over his head 2D nonchalantly enlightened her,"Yer mouf is sweet and ol'..."  
  
Pausing the shirt was thrown across the room, returning to the focal point with a shit-eating grin. "Buuut I'm tha one in charge yeah?", hands placed back at her hips he tilted his head to the side with a hissing snicker,"Since I'm tha boss, I say I'm nawt done wiff ya yet." Meryn felt her heart skip a beat, beginning to feel smaller while under the piercing stare of his eyes. "Wots wrong? Kat got y'tongue?",the idiot inside him peeked out from the imposing aura that surrounded him having found another opportunity to use the corny line he thought of long ago. "Heh," she shook her head just then realizing it had been awhile since she spoke. Leaned forward with a smile growing on her face she rest her head on his chest that still rattled in amusement with himself. "So corny," mumbled against his cool bare skin, her ear to his heart listening for the sound of life.  
  
"Awh," he murmured,"Such a gud gerl."  
  
Gentle pats came down from otherwise heavy hands smoothing the frizzed hair briefly before a change of atmosphere took place. No time to fathom anything other than the shift in perception as she fell backwards with a surprised gasp escaping in a collision with the floor. Violet hair with winding twists and turns fanned out beneath her pillowing the fall. As for the man who instantly climbed atop her, 2D continued to have the element of surprise. The cackle bubbling from within almost condescending from his superior stature looming in from above, his face lit up with ideas in mind. "Yew'll be awright yeah? I'll let yew in on somefing--I've been itchin' t'be inside yew this whole tiome!",he chirped as blunt as ever wriggling out of his jeans. "Oh yeah," he paused again after throwing the denim aside along with the discarded shirt. Eyeing Meryn up he pointed a finger down at the chest of the expecting girl, more specifically, the bunched up shirt that he'd left on in the act that transpired earlier,"Tha's gotta go and those too," he added pointing to the panties pushed to the side.  
  
The moment they were mentioned, the clothing was promptly yanked overhead and down her thighs letting loose wavy strands that draped over the mounds of her chest. Once again his nature switched back to the bold pleaser that masturbated Meryn near death. In the same instance, her long legs were lifted and willed apart by demanding larger hands where she'd blinked to find herself folded up for his convenience. Both ankles placed upon his broad shoulders as he leveraged himself in for a quick peck to her lips before he lined himself up at her entrance, still a flushed pink color from the beating taken earlier. Wide curious eyes beamed up in suspense. Honored by the purity begging to be corrupted, a proud smile pulled his lips into a prominent smirk as he gave in to the desires nagging away.   
  
Instantaneously the entirety of some 7 inches was buried into her still sensitive throbbing pussy. A bright blinding light beamed up from the automatic elation that was his cock filling her with irreplaceable rapture. Fiery eyed and clenching her teeth she sharply exhaled swaying her hips restless and eager to be fucked again by something better than before. Black eyes squeezed shut, grinding his teeth in awe of the very same thing he experienced countless times. The same as always, every time he entered her body Meryn gripped him like a vise making each time feel as soul changing as the first. Slowly he attempted to pull away only to come immediately back tenfold. "A-ah," gasped from beneath him in huffed shaky breaths taking up the small space between them. A chill ran down his spine rearing back to slam into her again. So quickly the pace was set into overdrive, the both of them writhing out of control. The room seemed to move at the force of his entry sliding in and out of the heat that called to him. Between her legs, there he was pounding into his personal cock sleeve, breasts bouncing at the rocking of his hips and her rounded backside taking a beat whenever his tensed thighs brought him forth.  
  
"Ohh...gawd," he moaned hurriedly placing his palms down on her chest grabbing two handfuls of the soft flesh. "Aauh~", she answered in a whimper completely panicked, the frontmost teeth bit into the center of her lip doing nothing to quiet the ravenous hums and squeals exploding from her lungs. 2D sent his hands traveling down the surface of her body playing with the little button peaks before pressing at her thighs. With impressive force they were slammed to the floor, spreading Meryn wide open to stab at the little hole that somehow managed to accommodate his every will. Driven by the sight of her battered little sleeve blooming apart for him to see, 2D's lips parted in awe, his head tilted to admire the variations of fleshy pink splayed out from the tanned lips that usually hid them away. Everything was framed nicely by the angled edges of a rather bony pelvic floor. "Mmnh," his head swiveled to different angles committing each the forever silly surprised grin she wore to memory.  
  
Eyes only half open watched the changeable faces above; adorn then full of passion to baffled and then serious. 2D seemed to be fighting himself on whether he should continue ogling her at her most lewd or to simply jackhammer into her and change that slutty smirk into a sobbing begging mess. Then, it dawned on him. He could do both. All his weight leaned onto her sufficing for restriction and allowing him to give her what she'd asked for. Long fingers wrapped around Meryn's throat suddenly applying a pressure he'd normally never dare to do. Immediately silenced, her eyes narrowed into a harsh enduring squint as her senses faded again. All but the jabbing that resonated from the power behind his thrusts, nothing but the feeling 2D dicking her to hell and back. Knackered her eyes rolled and her tongue hanging from her now bitten lips. She made absolutely no sense and he knew with certainty that he could get used to seeing her this way. A small squeak hitched in her throat as her body did the thinking for her and thrust back in encouragement of being destroyed. 

"Aah," moaned out in a heavy breath, blue hair falling forward and sticking to his forehead. Seconds later the painful grip let go no longer able to edge himself any longer. "Ahn...f-fuck," she blubbered in an aggressive tooth grinding groan. Never stopping for a moment the veinous member pulsated nearing his limit. "Tch--,"stuttering he went harder regardless of the strain it had on his gracile build. Vigorously bashing away at the feminine flesh gorged with blood and dripping clear sticky juices that inevitably glazed the base of his cock.  
  
"Fuck it D...," uttered through the air covered in a desperate plea. Asked so nicely, how could he not?  
  
Like a madman, all the remaining energy was used to jam everything deep inside pressing her physical limitations this time having an all-new effect. "AhhH-hah," screamed out in a high yelping pitch from the woman bucking back out of her mind with wild eyes spiraling into sin. Barely able to see him, the last clear image was 2D's barred jaw indicating the end that was near. "Ah-AH oh gawd," broke through in a hefty wheeze,"Y-Yew feel so gud Kat!" The head of his cock punched at the barrier that led to the next step of the female genitalia over and over getting a throaty reply from his partner. At wit's end, her teeth clenched harder at the beginning of the tight canal's pull,"Gonna cum-Agh!" belted out in warning, hips writhing against his weight. That was the only incentive needed to pile drive into Meryn's womb and bring about the waves of a second orgasm. Nails dug into his back springing up from where they yanked at the carpet bellowing a feverish shrill cry. Sweet walls closed in around him squeezing tight until his entire body tensed and a myriad of discordant moans and yells belted out in bursts along with the white hot fluid gushing deep inside.   
  
"AAahn t-take it!",2D gasped out between panicked thrusts grasping harshly at her waist with knobby fingers that dented against her skin. Warm cum surged, filling the space until white overflowed from the orifice. Mid-orgasm, he moaned frantically and spread apart the pink folds to capacity for a good look at the milky white substance spilling from the fucked hole. In and out the veinous member went, buried inside the little hole stretched to his size. "Shiet Kat!," he shuddered at the sight gnawing at his bottom lip accidentally sliding out from the overabundance of lubrication twitching and releasing what remained of his load in spurts up Meryn's stomach. "Flippin' hell," he sighed in relief stroking a couple final drops from base to tip, the few that did drizzled onto her clit. "Mh?", she shuddered at the gooey warmth applied to her most sensitive area, not all the way conscious. "Feel better?",she managed to ask making no other attempts to show signs of life. "Y-Yeeah! Much!",exhaling he stumbled forward laying flat on top of her in between her spread legs. Mouth covered in her hair he turned his head speaking directly into her ear,"I'm nawt crushin' yew am I?"  
  
"Heheh,"Meryn shook her head wrapping her legs around his hips,"Part of me wants to be sarcastic, but I don't feel like thinking anything witty up."  
  
"Hnn," an open heavy hand clumsily patted at her head,"I jus realized I'm layin' on yew but I came loike looooads a minute ago..."  
  
Cackling she nodded,"I noticed, seems like we'll both have to shower."  
  
"Yeah well, I'll lay 'ere jus a bit longah if tha's O.K...," wrapping long arms possessively around her in an embrace he settled. Breathing returned to normal, 2D lay there fighting the urge to say things he wasn't sure he meant. She was probably the best fling he'd ever had in all the years of bedding any girl he wanted and they all said the same thing. The "L" word that he feared greatly. But for some reason, he'd never heard Meryn say it, not directly at least. Tapping his fingers along the curve of her waistline he figured it was probably for the best, but then, why was it now bothering him? For something that he'd been told countless times, the girls who meant the most weren't around anymore and he'd since numbed himself to the idea of love or soul mates. Perhaps he missed being told it or knowing for certain that someone was head over heels for him.  
  
Maybe because he thought it meant they'd never leave.  
  
"What's wrong?",Meryn took notice of his inner quarrels as she always did. "I can tell you're thinking about something, D. You're fidgeting."  
  
"N-Nothin'", he stuttered. Curiosity got the best of him, being loved made him happy but what would she do if he loved her? If he could return everything she gave, then he should. Right?  
  
"I guess I'm jus finkin'...tha' I love yew K-M-Meryn."  
  
He felt nothing but embarrassment, much to his disappointment. Thinking that just saying the words would spark some feelings that were perhaps never there in the first place. She didn't reply, but her body went stiff hearing it. Slowly the arms at her sides reached around returning the embrace. Safe and warm she nestled against his head with a smile,"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sat in a puddle the entire time I typed this out*


	38. To Binge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew Meryn to look more like she does in my head. For anyone that was curious she looks pretty much like this. I've tested some colors out in color pencil but I want to try and use a program to give Meryn the artistic respect she needs. I since decided to put up the version with color pencil just to give a better visual. I still hope to do a more professional version down the line.

  
  
Meryn: In Love  
  
October 2009

How many people can truly say they love someone enough to spend every waking moment with said person? She didn't know the answer, but her own was evident. How else would someone like herself be sane in circumstances like this? It must be love. "Auuugh,"belted out from the loud distracting yawn that sounded just beside her. Turning on his side, the sound of lips smacking to greet the day crackled noisily in indifference. As he shrugged off the bed and sauntered off to the bathroom in the nude, 2D stumbled somehow tripping over his own feet. By the extension of his arms, he'd just barely managed to catch himself before face planting into the door. "Eheheh" he shrugged off the embarrassment shooting a reassuring snaggle smile over his shoulder before disappearing behind the bathroom door. The widest of grins pulled at her lips relentlessly resisting the urge to burst into laughter by the daily screw-ups that befell him. Several months in captivity his accident prone nature had become more cute than worrisome, along with the other spastic and awkward habits that he was known for.  
  
These days Meryn was rather chipper and quite upbeat even when it came to mundane happenings of the passing days. Days became weeks and weeks became months. "Hn,"she stuck out her tongue wincing at the bad taste in her mouth from the night before. Though out of the contraceptive of the first 3 months, she remained eager to please. While admittedly missing the sensational high that came from being seeded, giving head wasn't so bad. If it meant making 2D happy, she would make herself used to the bitter taste that resulted from the poor diet Murdoc provided. "Alrighty!,"the young woman chirped sitting up. Arms stretched for the ceiling just as a warbled sigh of relief panted from the bathroom being accompanied by the sound of the toilet flushing. Moments later the door creaked open with the towering man looming from the tiled room now in a pair of pink briefs. In a low tune, he hummed along with the lyrics he was supposed to have memorized for the arrival of the anticipated Little Dragon feature. Face twisting a bit frazzled he plopped back to the bed combing through the cerulean tufts of hair with long fingers.  
  
"Can't remembah this one fing--Startin' t'tick me off...,"the grown man pouted folding his arms across his chest suddenly. Complaining about the lyrics he'd had a bit of trouble with for reasons unknown, 2D's head swiveled in Meryn's direction. "Culd ya get tha' folded sheet f'me?",he asked pointing to the crinkled piece of paper folded into eighths near his side of the pillow they shared. "Mmhm," in a quick snatch she lifted it up into view unfolding it in the fluorescent lighting to view his hastily written lyrics. "I'm tryna hear the song in moi head but f'some reason I'm comin' up empty...," he spoke again tilting his head to the side. "Well, I mean I can't visualize it--Or I haven't heard Lil Dragon dew it yet so it's hard...", there was something behind his rambling that stuck out as a half-asked question.  
  
"Are you asking me to help you out?",Meryn guessed resting her arms by her sides. 2D fidgetted bashfully leaning forward to place both elbows on his knees. After some awkward seconds of silence, he looked to her again with a pleading expression,"Y-Yer friend Ruri said yew sang gud b'fore...Yew remembah moi flow frum yesterday rioght? Culd yew try and match it--Iunno jus so I can get an idea?" In silence, her knees were brought to her chest showing signs of anxiety and possibly much too shy to oblige. "N-Nevahmind Kat,"he scuttled with his words trying to undo the metaphorical spotlight he'd put on her. The pursed lips and little furrow of her brows went on for what felt like several minutes of discontent. Quieted, his head fell gnawing at the corner of his lips with the restless fingers bridging over each other.  
  
  
"Hm...", she thought contorting her face in questionably irate ways. But before long she inhaled leaning backwards to place her head against the wall. Eyes clenched shut and Meryn's entire body rejecting the request, she took a breath and freed herself.  
  
"Waiting by the mailbox, by the train..."  
  
2D's head rose immediately turning to face woman in surprise. Mouth ajar he couldn't believe his ears. Soft whispered words sung to mirror the tone came out like feathers floating off in different directions scattering and tickling at his skin as they flew.  
  
"Passin' by the hills 'til I hear the name...," she started again, forcing her volume to rise above the whisper to a light but prominent breezy tune.  
  
"I'm looking for a saw to cut these chains in half and all I want is  
Someone to rely on as  
Thunder comes a rolling down  
Someone to rely on as  
Lightning comes a staring in again."  
  
At the end of what would be Little Dragon's part, Meryn went dead silent sitting upright completely still and stricken by the embarrassment that rushed in after her little performance. She needn't open her eyes to know that the dark voids were stuck on her. "Hnngh," she groaned quickly burying her face in her knees holding tightly to engulf herself in a sense of security. He hadn't said anything but she also didn't want him too.   
  
"I'll wait to be forgiven. Maybe I never will..," he joined in shifting on the edge of the mattress in **_that_** tone that could melt any woman. But by the unsuspected grasp of her hands, it seemed he'd chosen her. Meryn's eyes flickered open peeking through long lashes to the blurry view of the man who'd settled himself in front of her balled up form.  
  
"My star has left me  
To take the bitter pill  
That shattered feeling"  
  
No hesitation, the hands much larger than her own fell to her shoulders as the lyrics continued to melt away at the icy wall she built,"Well the cause of it's a lesson learned..." With a courageous gulp, she tried her best to swallow the fear that hindered her lifting her head from the make-shift darkness. Mid breath, he flashed a kind giddy smile both eyes squinting at the expression pulling on his face.  
"Just don't know if I could roll into the sea again--Just don't know if I could do it all again she said, it's trueee," the melody left his lips as beautifully as she'd heard them before. Clinging on the lyrics as they left his lips, her lashes batted sitting in the presence of a world-recognized frontman witnessing the change in aura that took place as he sang and reverted back to normal at the end of his portion. He went tight lipped, biting at the corner of his mouth leaning forward with his hands pressed firmly on his knees, both blocky brows rose up high hoping she'd continue. Meryn went silent again, her gaze darting over to the ground once the next lyrics meant to be sung tried to pry her lips apart. Memories of the olden days hung heavy over her head. The adrenaline being on stage and the near-paralyzing fear that occurred each time without fail. Body swaying from awkwardly from side to side, she tried to reach deeper for the drive that bestowed the ability to perform and dare to stand out.  
  
Images of high school drifted by with the blinks of her eyes. The times she'd attended Ruri's school more than her own and had the life she wish she had only for a couple hours a day. And the times she'd spent after school with her brother in his rented studio space. Music was just that; sounds coming together to create something meaningful no matter how pointless or heavy the feeling. The bright smile of her dearly departed older brother shined through from the day he'd agreed to let them use his space for practice for some few months before everything came crashing down. The strong determined eyes of Ruri was her backbone; a person that would force her to do what she feared and overall be the reason she overcame them. Long black hair that fell forward from her best friend's undisguised fawning over her uninterested older brother; nudging at him with numerous 'I-told-you-so's' after the performance of a lifetime he'd witnessed.  
  
_"Sol...you were here the whole time?",the younger Meryn Jakes stood up straight being judged by the person who'd shaped her creative spirits. At 16, she was still the little sister he'd always cared for. Sol towered over standing at the height of 6'2 placing an open palm at the top of her head. Calloused fingers ruffled the strands of her natural dark brown hair, not yet damaged by the heavy amount of bleach that would bring the boring color to a vivid purple in the next two years. Peering upward, the image of him was crystal clear; proud in every way he chuckled with his eyes narrowing into a squint. "Mmhm Ruri invited me, I had to see it to believe it!",his voice vibrated with excitement looking below to his youngest sister. In the corner of her eyes, Meryn spotted Ruri leaning against the wall with the bass still hanging across her body after their performance. Coyly she smiled shrugging her shoulders accepting the unsaid gratitude coming from her difficult but undeniably loveable best friend. "Hey,"Sol's hand left Meryns hair, palming to his own forehead at the sight of his sister wearing less than he would ever approve of. "wHAT tHE HEll IS THAT OUTFIT YOU PICKED OUT FOR MERYN HUHHH?!",he snapped pointed a finger to the unbothered bassist along the wall. Ruri looked elsewhere than back at the disturbed man trembling with unease,"You don't like it?" Heavy flirtatious eyes batted at the man much older than she,"Really? Even on me?"_  
  
_Sol groaned loudly at a loss, his heavy hand sliding down his face pulling everything with it,"I wish you'd stop flirting with me Ruri...Come on you're the same age as my youngest sister..." Meryn snickered at the display she'd never get tired of seeing, shameless flirting with her brother that always ended in uncomfortable spastic rejections. Always so collected, and breezy it was funny seeing him struggle whenever her best friend was around. "Don't go along with everything she says Meryn...," he murmured unable to look at her in the playboy bunny piece she wore. "I can't even look at you...," he further cringed shrugging out of his jacket. Through squinted eyes, he shoved the entirety of the large heavy jacket at her,"Put it on." Meryn nodded a little embarrassed herself,"I just decided to...go with it. Me even being here is spur the moment..." The fleece warm jacket draped over her thighs and the sleeves hung some inches at her smaller stature. With a quick hand she zipped the jacket covering herself up finally and putting away the cleavage that caused a small crowd to form. Disappointed groans of discontent sounded from nearby from the boys of Ruri's new school. Ignoring them, Meryn continued to speak her mind. "I was scared, and I never intended to be apart of this but...," she trailed off clenching her fist inside the large sleeve," Shea disappeared and left me here...she didn't say a thing. I thought I was safe with her, but...but..."_  
  
_Head held up high she looked her brother in the eyes,"Right here I have things worth pushing forward for." Brown eyes shot to Ruri and the condescending posture of her chosen guitarist. Trailing downward to the short girl who rarely spoke holding onto her trusty pair of drumsticks and to the dreamy gaze of the guitarist's younger brother that flickered away whenever she made eye contact with him. "I know I've been avoiding everything and... it hurts you, Grandma and Grandpa," she swallowed the guilt holding her stance,"I want to make you proud. I'll go to school again, I'll manage from here on. I promise." Sol stood arms crossed with a wide smile creeping across his face. The moment he'd seen her conquer her fears, he knew that musical expression could be her saving grace._  
  
_"I am proud of you Meryn, you have so much to offer and I'm happy you're finally seeing it."_  
  
Meryn swallowed blinking to the present. 2D's head tilted to the side with a dour expression,"Yew don' hafta sing anymore if yew don' wanna Kat..." He sighed picking up his ukelele sat by the edge of the bed bring it to play. "Can you play the tune...D?", she hesitantly asked not yet giving up. Surprised his eyes widened,"S-Sure."  
  
The light strumming of the small instrument brought everything full circle, it was one thing to remember the music, but another to experience it. Long fingers plucked along to the tune anxiously waiting for her to pick up where she left off, biting his chapped lips the burgundy irises drifted to watch her in the corner of his eyes. Meryn took a breath calming her nerves and brought her eyes to a close. The sunny image of Sol would be her inspiration.  
  
"Waiting in my room and I lock the door  
I watch the colored animals across the floor  
And I'm looking from a distance  
And I'm listening to the whispers  
And oh it ain't the same when you're falling out of feeling and your  
Falling in and caught again..."  
  
"Caught again," she chucked in the repeated line exaggerating the constant the way 2D had done the night before. "Hmm,"2D hummed finding her imitation adorably amusing. A bright smile lined his lips in satisfaction recalling the final portion of the song, in tune with the melody he swayed to the strumming of his fingers. He took a breath reciting the remaining lyrics that had befuddled him some moments ago.   
  
"I'm caught again in the mystery  
You're by my side, but are you still with me?"  
  
Gradually the image of the sun in Meryn's mind shifted becoming someone else entirely; blue hair that reminded her of the sky and the wide sunny disposition of the man vocalizing before her. Brown eyes shot open to reality, his lips moving mid-lyric,"The answer's somewhere deep in it, I'm sorry but your feeling it..." Turning his head to correctly face her, 2D smiled proudly and thankful for her contribution continuing on to the words that followed.  
  
"But I just have to tell you that I love you so much these days  
Have to tell you that I love you so much these days, it's trueee."  
  
At that moment, her heart skipped a beat and she forgot to breathe. Sat immobile by the words that fluttered from his lips, and the mellowed outlook in his eyes; she unknowingly stared adorn and bedazzled blinking softly at his visage. The way he sang the word "love" had the power to end her life and bring her back all the same. The distanced look in his voids seemed to focus and hone in on her as he said them. Immobilized and caught in the rays of his growing smile, Meryn could die happy. The faith her brother had in her hadn't left the physical plane but was amplified by a form of new love. The man who held her heart in his clumsy hands knew not the influence that a simple glance in her direction could have.  
  
"Uh...Kat?",the thick British drawl cracked out in concern. Brow raised in question, he leaned forward placing the ukelele to the foot of the bed. Suddenly realizing she had been staring at him for some time, Meryn nervously laughed holding her face in between both open palms,"I'm embarrassed to say it but...I have to or it feels like I'll explode." He sat quietly waiting for her to speak again, and it was clear to him, that she appeared to be having trouble saying them. A point made to look the man in his voids, she adjusted her posture to an unmovable confident form and said it.   
  
"2D, I'm in love with you."  
  
His face flushed red at her confession, then white as it lowered in a bit of guilt. Heart fluttering at the idea that a girl as pretty and as kind as she would ever utter those words on her own. The most distressing thing was the seriousness in her gaze, Meryn meant what she said. It required no thought, it came naturally and sincere. With a fond little smile, he returned the sentiment,"I love yew too."

* * *

  
2D: Guilty Conscience  
  
November 2009  
  
  
How many times can someone declare their love with uncertainty before it destroys everything? Head hung, 2D sat stuck in his head. Thoughts of Meryn and the other flames of his life hindering him with a barrage of pestering questions.   
  
'What is love?'  
  
'I loved Paula. I loved Rachel. Why can't I say for sure whether I love Meryn?'  
  
'Is it because I believed in soul mates back then?'  
  
'Or maybe because I fell for girls so easily?'  
  
'Is it because I don't want Murdoc to steal her away too?'  
  
Lengthy fingers combed through blue locks attempting to soothe himself from a mental overload. Brows furrowed he sighed hiding his face away as he rest his head along his forearm. By his side, the girl in question remained blissfully unaware of the plain truth. Preoccupied by the handheld came she'd entertained herself within his absence, 2D could stare bug-eyed at her for eons without her noticing. "Hngh," she groaned rolling her eyes at the lit LCD screen,"Died again..." Knowing she was so happy as of late because of his fumble and even more so that he hadn't a clue if he meant it or not, was slowly eating away at him. The days that followed were arguably the sweetest and cruelest torture; loving to be loved and hating himself for each potential lie told.  
  
A hefty sigh burst out from his mouth and his head mashed into the pillow as if to consider smothering himself for a punishment. "Hey," came whispered suddenly into his ear. 2D jumped sitting upright at attention,"Y-Yeah?" Meryn cheesed childishly up at him lying down on her back drumming her fingers against the handheld device. Big-eyed batted lashes beckoned him to come forward regardless of his inward distress. Sighing he leaned in placing a gentle kiss on her lips,"Izzat wha' yew wanted?" The most gleeful he'd ever seen her, Meryn beamed grinning so hard and exposing all her teeth. "Heh," he smirked, never getting tired of her being happy. Knobby fingers pressed down to her puffed up cheeks as he made himself more comfortable lying on his side to face her.  
  
"D, are you O.K.?"  
  
All the hairs on his body stood up, unprepared for a question to be asked. Although she seemed at peace, a hint of worry registered by the twitch of her brow. "You've been quieter lately...,"Meryn trailed off in thought pondering why that might be. Tight lipped and puzzled, he looked deep for an explanation but her continued stare prevented him from making something up spur the moment. It seemed the only way would be the painful truth.  
  
"Well I uh...," he started looking off to the side away from her all-knowing eyes.  
  
"....D?", her pitch fell to a serious tone, the expression on her face falling soon after.  
  
"It's nuthin'! I-I'm finking bout wha' we'll do furst once we get away,"blurted out under pressure. Meryn's eyes widened slightly as she broke out into a sheepish grin,"O-Oh..." She shook her head dismissing the idea that something might be wrong," Sorry...I know how talking feelings makes you shy."   
  
That's what he told her. Meryn was observant, and it took only a few days of exchanged 'I-love-you's for her to notice how he'd lower his head or start fidgeting immediately after. Thankfully he never openly frowned in response, for being with her really did make him happy. By the small smile that lined his lips each time, she gathered he must simply be bashful. The very same little smile assured her this time as well," Sorry....Can't 'elp iht..." A lazy hand played with the ends of her hair finding the waves therapeutic to memorize as 2D swallowed another dose of guilt. "Been wonderin' somefing Kat...", he spoke in a hushed tone,"Am I tha' furst guy yew've been in love wiff?"  
  
Pouting she thought for a moment,"Uh I think you actually might be..." Nodding after awhile she confirmed it,"Yeah, you are the only guy. Before you was Shea but..." Taking another moment to think things over, Meryn's eyes shifted from left to right until she decided once more, "It's stronger towards you though."  
  
"R-Really?",he asked all of a sudden struggling to swallow. And yet by her admission, he was grinning bigger than ever. Gold flashed from the teeth she didn't see often towards the back of his mouth and the dark voids narrowed into a delighted squint. "I dunno wha' t'say,"2D swooned, the corner of his tongue now peeking out from the wide gaps. Shrugging Meryn seemed a bit bashful herself. The black eyes rounded out to admire her radiance, wanting nothing more than to reciprocate and narrowed in all seriousness. A stern glare unrelenting looked fond of the woman,"I love yew too Kat, and don' yew forget it."  
  
Taken back she nodded caught in his stare,"I won't."  
  
As many times as it would take, he decided to engulf himself in hopes that eventually he would know for sure.

* * *

  
Murdoc: God  
  
A lit cigarette in hand, a red and brown eye eyed up his exhausted lead singer. Half awake, 2D blinked peering aimlessly out the window. "Oi, face-ache," he chimed snapping his fingers together. The blue-haired boy barely swiveled his head in question, instead landing against the hardwood table. "Ack!",2D sat up completely eyes wide open hurrying to reply,"Yeah??" Howling with laughter, Murdoc held his chest slamming his other fist on the table,"Stayed up all night knockin' boots mate?" Trying to ignore the green man's claims, the frontman shrugged, hunching forward once more.   
  
"She's an insatiable one, that Ryn...,"Murdoc took a drag filling his lungs with the toxic smoke matter of factly.  
  
"Ol'ways willin'...",2D mumbled nodding off again. Quickly he sat back up having registered what the bastard bassist just said,"Wait--Why-How'd yew kno tha'?"  
  
"Well...," he smugly explained,"For one thing you're always tired when you come up for a recording session...too busy cumming with Ryn I wager..." On his exhale, Murdoc shrugged,"Also I listen in every now and then." The room went silent, only having his enslaved lead singer keeping him company at the moment. In the corner of his mismatched eyes, he saw him, sat there mouth agape at full attention. Now jittering in place, he twiddled his thumbs inquiring further, "Yew stand by tha door?"  
  
"No, it's soundproof you dolt." With a wide devious grin, he cackled,"Surveillance cameras, microphones, the works. Gotta make sure you two stay put." An unkempt hand slammed onto 2D's shoulder shooting a look as he passed by. "Yew were watchin' us?!",he complained pivoting his entire body to face the man. with disgust. "Tch yeah! Of course, I've been!",Murdoc shouted shrugging off their lack of privacy. "Look you", he turned flicking the forehead of the unsuspecting dark-eyed man,"By this time next year it'll be all over and you can have your little time alone. For now, you'd do well to shut yer face and thank your lucky stars that I'm allowing you to keep yer pet."

"Hn!",2D winced rubbing his forehead with a defeated pout.  
  
"By the way, 2D,"Murdoc started rudely taking a seat in front of the man on the table. Anxious he sat back in his chair leaning away from the smell of booze lining the man's stinging words. "Are you REALLY in love with Ryn like you say you are?", he asked finally teasing the poor man with the burning end of the lit cigarette, threatening to burn him at any moment. Awkwardly his shoulders fell, despondent and remorseful. "I swear, you're really bad at lying, I don't know how the little cunt hasn't caught you yet..", the crooked smile of the green man all the more unsettling. "Ugh,"2D snarled in disgust,"Don' need t'call her that."  
  
"If she's being fooled by you, she's not as smart as I thought she was,"laughing to himself he vibrated on the table,"Must be the extended exposure to your empty head." Triumphant Murdoc shrugged at his continued victory over the two of them,"Don't worry I'm sure you'll fuck it up soon anyway. But if you don't I'll just come take her from you like I do all your little playmates." A scornful glare was all 2D had the gall to do. Meryn couldn't stand the wretched green man, but, but somehow jealousy reared its ugly head imagining the impossible taking place. In the presence of the master manipulator, any chance of a happy ending with some girl was next to impossible.


	39. A Taste of Freedom

  
January 2010  
  
  
Since the start of their joint imprisonment, Murdoc made it a point to keep one or the other locked away at a time. Given the everlasting authority he had over his treasured front man, keeping 2D under his thumb never proved to be a problem. But as it was proven time and time again, the woman he'd tangled into this mess had a thicker skin and refused to be bossed around or trifled with. Even more annoying, she never stood idly by and watched the mistreatment of the poor blue boy without protest be it physical or verbal. While the defiance was capped and manageable, thanks to the threat of being killed on the spot by the cyborg, Meryn's cooperation wasn't always guaranteed. He'd known that for certain since she decked him in the face.  
  
Still, even real prisoners were rewarded for good behavior.  
  
By their arrangement, she saw the sun far less than her lover. Locked away since their last trip inland for some months while 2D worked every couple days being summoned floors above for recording sessions. At least he was blessed with seeing something other than the same nauseating colors. Now outside after so long, Meryn thanked God for the first time in years. Never so happy to see their solar systems star and the transitioning colors of day to night, she leaned back basking in the low heat of an oceanic summer below the equator. Normally she cringed at the thought of being in the sun for long periods of time, but in this moment she truly could sit in the warmth forever. Sat on the patio of the Gorillaz HQ, Meryn was content; especially when the man she loved sat picturesque near the edge in the artificial grass.  
  
Cyborg Noodle stood nearby surveying the vicinity; glass eyes falling on the blue haired man producing a head-turning melody with an acoustic guitar settled in his lap. Over his broad shoulder, 2D peered back to the woman keeping her distance from the edge of the garbage cliff with her fear of heights. Lips in a pucker he couldn't help but pout; a bit paranoid as of late thanks to Murdoc's undisguised plan's to court the woman he'd been intimate with for almost a year.  
  
Friends to good friends.  
  
An old friend to a cellmate.  
  
Cellmate to lovers; late April would make a year since they rekindled their friendship and leapt carelessly into constant love-making. Dark eyes on her, a small smile widened the pooch of his lips admiring how radiant she was in the setting sun. He'd had plenty of times to look at her and had since memorized the glimmer of her skin hitting the natural light. Even with his poor eyesight, he could appreciate the dark brown roots at her crown peeking out from all the violet and the intricate waves that fluttered in a sudden gust of ocean breeze. Panicked hands flew upward not so gracefully in attempt of smoothing the curtain of hair that went airborne.   
  
"Kh--", he started to cackle, quickly clasping an open hand over his mouth in hopes she'd not seen him blatantly laughing. Meryn sat up straight, awkwardly trying to regain her poise. But instead wound up barreling forward in embarrassment halfway amused and chuckling in acceptance of how stupid she must look. With a shrug she laughed it off as best she could, acknowledging the fact that he'd been sneaking a glance over his shoulder. Almond eyes in a squint she blissfully waved her arm about back and forth.  
  
2D perked up sitting up from his bad posture, eager to return the gesture. Long calloused fingers left the strings plucking a quaint tune as they went before flinging the hand outward from his lengthy appendage. "Ello love!" he said out of her hearing range brightly. Eyes smizing with glee and sporting a wide grin he waved back like a dope. As if to one-up him, Meryn's other hand rose into the air waving simultaneously with the other. Voids softened at her visage, and his hand fell by his side watching the childish waving come to an abrupt end. In close proximity with the sliding glass door behind her, one brow rose in inquiry, unsure as to why he'd stopped.  
  
Failing to notice the presence of someone else nearing with the constant roar or mid-ocean waves, Meryn leaned forward in further question. Just like that, 2D's expression died having noticed the looming green man bent on destroying whatever they were. Crooked teeth stuck out between chapped green lips, made all the more sinister by a look that can only be described as the face a certain green Dr. Seuss character would wear. Fond to paranoid, every blue hair on his lanky body stood up straight in disdain. Somewhere between tight-lipped and scowling, his fingers flexed and bent restlessly at the man's approach.  
  
The glass slid open in silence, the only reason for his presence being to bother the face of his band and the slim chance that she'd be so kind and humor him with the skin only seen from shamelessly spying on the two of them in their alone time. Hands in his pockets, Murdoc stood directly behind the girl too preoccupied with whatever had taken away 2D's smile and replaced it with an apprehensive bite to his own lip.  
  
"Oi, Ryn."  
  
"AGH!?"  
  
She jumped suddenly; a shrill girly scream bouncing off the nearby walls of the loft to both of their surprise. Waves flung over her shoulder falling forth to blanket the exposed skin blooming from the V-neck she wore. Less irritated than Murdoc had prepared for, Meryn fully spun around bubbly with laughter with an easy-going but somehow blank expression that reminded him just who she'd been spending all of her time with. "You scared me!" she chuckled pushing stray pesky strands behind her ear. The red and brown eyes on her widened a bit perplexed. Quite thrown, he found himself cackling his grunty laugh,"Looks like you loosened up a bit, just took some time I see..." View switching from her to the clearly bothered blue haired man that failed to stealthily sneak glances from the distance, Murdoc grinned absolutely pleased with himself.  
  
Black eyes winced fearful of the one thing that kept him somewhat sane being taken away, 2D failed to conceal the scornful glare that nearly stared daggers at the asshole bassist that'd never seen from him before. Catching the daring glint in the satanist's eyes, 2D quickly looked away as if he'd been trying to focus on something else. A poor attempt at saving face, for it was the defeatist hangdog looks that were Murdoc's drive.  
  
"Suuuure,"Meryn spoke dripping in sarcasm,"What'd you want?"  
  
"Haw hm hm," he snickered low and throaty,"That's more like it Ryn." Vibrating a bit in laughter he invited himself taking an abrupt seat beside her.   
  
"Uh huh," she nodded,"That's not an answer though **_Muds_**."  
  
"Now now," he started again drumming on his knees,"Can't I just check in on you without there being some ulterior motive?"  
  
"No." A reply so flat jabbed at his continued attempts. Eyes narrowing, she waited for some sort of explanation unfazed by the coy shrugs of feigned ignorance being tossed at her. "Must you always be like that?",he whined placing an unwelcome crusty hand upon her thigh. Out of the corner of his demon eye, he couldn't help but relish at the way 2D tensed up unable to concentrate on the instrument he'd been aimlessly playing any longer and instead gawked at the flirtatious show Murdoc put on.  
  
_Sigh._

 _  
_Rather than shove him away, Meryn rolled her eyes flinging her head back somewhat amused that he'd even try."Do you WANT to lose the hand Murdoc?" she chuckled shooting a sideways, stern but flabbergasted glare. "Just testing the waters darling," he smoothly replied, allowing the hand to linger just a moment longer before removing it for his own safety a mere second later. "It's never going to stop baffling me the gall you have," she shook her head, eyes rolling in pity. "You let the retard touch you, I figured I'd let you know you still had the option to...better company," another crooked grin struck belittling the man in question.  
  
2D sank into a worse posture, his nostrils flaring in curt distaste. Something about the delay in which the foreign hand had been removed bothered him. Dejected, his eyes looked away. Brows furrowed in frustration as he sat helplessly in the wake of the incessant mean-spirited Murdoc's antics. Unable to do anything as usual, but sit and watch it all unfold. Unless he wanted to get slapped or abused some more. Rather than continue to torture himself, 2D pivoted turning his body away from the both of them. He sighed feeling as if this discomfort was deserved,"Don' kno why I'm mad...Its jus a fling t'me anyway...innit?" Canines digging into his lip, he cursed himself for being jealous when he remained uncertain of his own feelings. Hands suddenly darted into his hair pulling and tugging at the roots completely exasperated. Throwing a mini tantrum with his long legs kicking and his body bucking, the guitar fell from his lap to the grass below. The impact causing the strings to ring as it thunked to the ground. Irksome he quickly rose to his towering height shuffling further away to sit completely alone by the cliffside.   
  
Meryn's nose crinkled in disgust scooting away from the insulting man,"You are all kinds of terrible. You know that, right?"  
  
"That's subjective at best sweetheart,"Murdoc shrugged rolling his shoulders back. Head-turning back to gauge 2D for a response, he noticed that his target had stomped off in the midst of the fruitless flirting. Meryn followed his line of sight, able to answer her own question by the absence of 2D. "Of course," she snickered lying back on the wooden patio,"What is it that you get out of bothering 2D?" With another shrug, Murdoc joined her instead lying on his side in a 70's porno position. "It's better to keep underlings feeling inferior, my love,"sneering he answered with a matter of fact look on his face,"Can't have him getting confident now." She laughed, head tilting to face him,"It's cute how threatened you are by him~."  
  
"Shut it."  
  
"Especially when he literally does nothing to provoke you."   
  
Quickly rising, Meryn reached down placing a pitying hand to Murdoc's greasy forehead,"I feel sorry for you, but not THAT sorry." "Tch," he grumbled shooing her condescending hand away,"Keep the pity for yourself." Mockingly she sucked in a lungful of air placing the rejected hand to her chest. At that, she shook her head rising to her feet,"Yep! You have us trapped here for now, but you can't keep us here forever."   
  
"Careful what you say Ryn, I've been a nice guy so far and I let you come along for this rrrrreboot of the world's biggest band--,"shooting a look, Murdoc sinisterly smiled. "--Remember, I let you live just like I'm letting you be a part of history in the making! You'd do well to shut yer face and enjoy the ride." She widened her eyes returning the look,"Letting me live was a mistake on your part, I'll behave for now, but don't forget..." Stretching upward for the orange darkening sky, Meryn stepped off the patio looking from left to right in search of 2D. Over her shoulder, she flashed a sweet smile,"The first chance I get, something bad is going to happen to you." Sniffling lazily, Murdoc picked his teeth,"Uh huh, how're you going to do that with a gun pointed at you darling?"  
  
In the corner of her eye, she spotted the dark barrel of a gun aimed up at her head with the mirrored image of the dearly departed Noodle staring her down from the viewfinder. "Like I said, **the first chance I get** ,"Meryn repeated herself shirking off the rising defiance for now. On her heel she turned for the sliding glass door, being followed closely behind by the militant cyborg. The door opened and closed behind the two of them leaving Murdoc proud with a confident smirk on his face,"I'll be sure to remember that." Eyes darting in the direction he'd last seen his victim, Murdoc's gaze hardened bring himself to stand. "Now," he stuffed his hands back in his pockets, walking off in 2D's general direction,"Where'd the little idiot head off to..."  
  
  
He didn't have to go too far, on the other side of the cliff top headquarters, he'd been found sitting close to the edge. "There you are!",Murdoc rejoiced loudly announcing his presence. 2D looked over his shoulder briefly in curiosity before turning back around disinterested. "Ignoring me?",the green man teased kicking up the dirt at his thick leather boots. "Come on now, tell me whats bothering you," he said pressing on. "Nuthin's boverin' me...,"2D reluctantly answered hunching forward in efforts to put a wall between them. "Really? You sure?",feigning ignorance, Murdoc shrugged along. "Why're yew ol'ways pickin' on me?",he murmured holding his knees to his chest. "Well you see, it's no fun picking on Ryn and no one quite gives me the satisfaction that you do mate...," came nonchalantly from his mouth. Rounding the smaller form, Murdoc reached out tugging at the long face 2D wore,"I mean look at you! You've got the perfect punchable face that just begs to be hit!"  
  
A hand attempted to shoo away the dirty fingers tugging at the corner of his mouth but was ultimately denied by the addition of a second hand, shoving 2D's protest aside with little effort. Murdoc laughed at his failed attempt, bellowing a grunty cackle. Thick brows furrowed and he boldly glared up at the bully with dark scathing eyes. Unable to keep up with his thoughts, 2D scowled having enough of the continued prodding. "If you were smart yew'd be noice t'me!",he barked slurring by the fingers keeping the corner of his mouth ajar. Suddenly, a quick hand slapped away the annoyance prying his lips apart. With his voice firm and unbending, 2D folded his arms across his chest,"Wiffout me yeah? Yew'd still be a washed up bass player in Stoke playin' gigs at seedy bars nd tha loike...If I wosn't singin' yew'd be nuffin' plain nd simple." The blatant insult and disregard to the danger he was putting himself in, quieted the bassist to his satisfaction. Triumphant, he smirked peeking out of his right black eye puffing his chest to bask in the glory of silencing the man who terrorized and harassed him for nearly half of 2D's life.  
  
"....."  
  
That was...until the silence became eerie.   
  
All pride melted away and he went white with fear that had up to this point, kept 2D in his place. "Uhm," he turned his head slightly testing for a reaction and was met immediately with the heavy open hand smacking the spit out of his unprepared snarky mouth. "Kch!",he winced with the entire left side of his face stinging in pain before his view shifted without his doing, to see the sky and the cold stare peering over the edge of the grassy cliff he had been sitting on less than a second ago. 

* * *

  
Now inside, Meryn inwardly said goodbye to the wide open sky with the cyborg holding the end of a sawed-off shotgun in close proximity of her head. By now she'd had several firearms pointed at her as a result of mouthing off or threatening Murdoc in some manner or another. Once scared, she now sighed looking pleadingly out of the corner of her brown eyes. "I'm not going to do anything, you can stop now," came flatly. It took a moment, but the barrel end disappeared from sight, instead pointing at the flooring beneath them. The cyborg blinked curiously, inept and staring at the perplexing woman that her commander gave mixed signals for on a near constant basis. "Thank you," she nodded tight-lipped and a bit dismissive walking off for the kitchen. Around the corner, Meryn shuffled awkwardly through the cupboards aware of the artificial eyes that followed her every move. Reaching into the fridge she helped herself to the bottle of wine half finished and sloppily re-corked. Brows raised she stared back, waiting for the cyborg to stop her or make a sudden move. Careful she poured herself a glass taking a quick sip gauging for a reaction again.   
  
Cyborg Noodle blinked tilting her head to the side as if trying to understand or dissect Meryn's behavior. "Hm," Meryn shrugged relaxing a bit against the counter,"You...never threaten me when Murdoc's gone..." Nothing; the cyborg blinked again straight-faced and head still tilted in question. She took the moment to examine the carbon copy, eyeing it from head to toe,"You really do look just like her..." At that, its head lowered a bit staring idle at the floor. "Can you...understand me?",she hesitated, asking the question she'd been wondering about since encountering the mechanical phenomena. Through choppy bangs, a wide-eyed look stared back at the only female inhabitant of Plastic Beach. Meryn shifted uneasily,"Oookay...does that mean...yes...maybe? No??"  
  
Slowly, it nodded bobbing its head up and down with the short hair swaying about. "O-Oh!",Meryn exclaimed in bewilderment placing the glass to the countertop. "If I approach you am I going to die?",she asked fearlessly at the discovery. No answer. Shaky, she stepped forward taking a chance until she stood close by, face to face with the humanoid that could kill her without skipping a beat. The same face that used to smile mischievously and in high spirits. A blast from the past, she couldn't help but smile kneeling to be in the petite girl's line of sight from her naturally taller stature. 5'9 to 5 feet exactly, Meryn meekly waved,"Nuu-chan?"   
  
???  
  
The stoic expression the cyborg usually wore immediately changed to a look that seemed too human to be possible. Taken aback a little, one brow rose in confusion taking an unsure step away from such a title. Thin lips curved in a slant with its lips parting as if it desperately wanted to reply but couldn't quite understand what it was that yearned to be said. Half smiling Meryn chuckled,"See it's cringy to you even." Electronic whirring sounded from the parting of its lips until they came to a close. It seemed at a loss of what to do from here. No commands or objectives to tend to, the cyborg's shoulders perfect stance loosened with an airless sigh. Wordlessly it sauntered off on her own in search of...something. Standing back to her natural height, Meryn returned to the glass emptying it in a few gulps before she followed after in curiosity. The open space was quiet making detecting its location difficult. Looming in from room to room, she eventually found the android back turned in Murdoc's secret investigative room that had been closed off when she lived freely in the luxury loft. To her surprise, the door was ajar and the robot made no attempt of stopping her entrance even when it clearly was aware of Meryn's nosing around.  
  
The safety on the gun activated, Cyborg Noodle placed it against the wall taking interest in Murdoc's desk covered in an array of papers. Some more eye-catching than others. Quietly, Meryn folded her arms a tad defensive and suspicious of the lack of apprehension. Eyeing the knick-knacks and nautical trinkets on the nearby shelves she examined the environment of what Murdoc had been hiding step by step. Head turned she watched the cyborg standing idly again, being beckoned over to whatever it stood immobile over. "What're...you looking at...?", she queried sticking her neck out in her approach. The safe distance narrowed and narrowed until she stood beside the cyborg yet again. Leaned over slightly, Meryn scanned the documents in no particular order falling on one piece of paper that stuck out.   
  
_The Boogeyman?_  
  
"...um," she opened her mouth to speak but fell flat before uttering a complete thought.  
  
_What the hell is that supposed to be? The old folk story? Is Murdoc a 5 year old?_  
  
  
A sudden mechanical head turn stunned Meryn from her stupor, she flinched taking a step back. Blank eyes squinted up at the woman and a strong hand grasped at her hand as she tried to back away. Frozen she had no idea if she should run, scream, or simply wait for death to come; but rather the cyborg turned pulling Meryn along. Out the door, she staggered after it noticing its free hand grab a random pad of paper and pen on their exit. In front of the elevator, the doors opened with Cyborg Noodle dragging the confused woman along inside. The door closed engulfing them in an uncomfortable silence. Nervous, Meryn stood up stiff on guard looking straight forward in uncertainty her wrist still grasped tightly by the surprisingly fleshy mechanical hand. Faster than expected, the doors reopened and she found herself being yanked out of the elevator car into the darkness of the cave-like entrance way from when she had first arrived on Plastic Beach. "Ah--", she was pulled forth into the dimming light of the evening sky without warning and guided along like a child to the seaside electronic hub the cyborg spent alone in her charging station.  
  
The hand swiftly let go once inside turning on the lights to aid the woman in seeing her surroundings. Wires jutted out from every direction of the small room reminding Meryn of the time she'd tinkered with the mechanics to gain the upper hand in discovering the secret that Murdoc had been keeping from her. Inwardly, she hoped it had no recollection of that instance as her feet brought her forward. Tripping over a random step stool, she regained composure watching as Cyborg Noodle dug into her messy hair parting the strands to reveal several entry points for the slew of plugs it took to power her. Pointing at the back of her head she motioned with her free hand for Meryn to examine. She swallowed hard obeying its wordless instructions and sifting her hesitant fingers through the artificial hair. More sockets out of the androids reach stared back at her. With no indication, the cyborg plugged herself in, yanking at different colored wires varying by size. Nonchalantly it pointed to some plugs located high above jutting from the ceiling and left the rest to be assumed. On her toes, she reached up grabbing the bundle of cords on her first try and plugged them all in accordingly to each colored socket.  
  
The robot jolted slightly and relaxed dropping its shoulders. Meryn from behind rounding its now charging state. Eyeing the pad and pen stuffed in its pocket she rose an eyebrow pending a question. Cyborg Noodle's head rose suddenly at attention-getting another defensive flinch from the woman standing aimlessly before it. "W-What?",Meryn stuttered before perking up herself at the strange sound of a warbled cry getting closer and closer. "Huh?",she stepped towards the entrance way hearing a heavy thud and a pained yelp sound immediately after. Brown eyes darted to the cyborg as she backed away to inquire only to be baffled by the abrupt snatch from its shorts pocket. Before she had time to ask or guess, the pad of paper was turned around into view with the pen it had taken earlier in between its index and thumb.  
  
"Tedious?," Meryn read out loud the single word written on the top sheet of paper.  
  
"What is? Keeping watch on me?"  
  
No response.  
  
"Or going to see what that noise was?"  
  
A single nod and it bowed its head placing the writing instruments back into its cargo pocket.   
  
Meryn smirked to herself quietly backing out of the room and closing the door behind her. "That was weird," she snickered in amusement shrugging the entirety of what just happened. Returning her attention to investigating the noise she instantly saw what had caught both of their attention. 2D's scrambled form twitched beyond a cloud of sand sounding out howls of pain. Earthy eyes went wide as she ran down the terrace and sprinted over the sand to his aid. "D?!", she called scooting to a stop, more particles being kicked up into the air in the process. "Muhm?!", came muffled from below as the cloud cleared to reveal his head buried deep in the dirt. Dropping to her knees, Meryn gasped darting urgent hands into the sand and at his shaky panicking shoulder. In two labored pulls his head shot out flinging more beachy particles into the air. "Hwah!!!,"2D coughed out hacking at the entry of particles in his lungs. "What happened?!", she covered her eyes from the sand patting a heavy hand to his back in efforts of clearing his air passage. "M-Mu-", more hacking ensued when he tried to speak against her forceful swings,"Murdoc!--That bastard bassist pushed me ova tha'ledge!"   
  
2D winced in pain, holding his throbbing head,"It 'urts a ton!" The heavy hand became gentle not wanting to aggravate his head pains accidentally. "Can you stand?",she inquired brushing sand from his hair,"C-Cover your eyes!" He obeyed clasping a hand over the two voids as the rest of the sand fell from tufts of blue spikes. "I fink--Yeah..." he mumbled scrambling to stand. Arched brows furrowed enraged peering up at the blank cliff side he'd fallen from,"Now's the time. I'm gonna kill him."  
  
"Eh? Uh wha'?",2D peeked from in between his parted fingers to watch the woman jump to her feet and stalk off to the elevator entrance way. "W-Wait!",he coughed staggering after holding onto his aching head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll continue from here in a few days, got school work to catch up on!


	40. Spite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on Dragon Ball Z!
> 
> ........
> 
> I'm sorry. Continuing where I left off...

Stumbling and tripping over his feet, 2D clumsily followed after the dusty trail left behind her sprint. "W-Wait",he shouted breathing in a lung full of airborne sand particles. "Kh-f-Kat!",2D called again picking up speed. Into the darkness of the cave lift, he darted after now in a full sprint himself.  Just barely making it he slid into the slender opening of the closing elevator doors seconds before it came to a close. "Y-Yew run so fast!",he belted out between straining breaths. Hands on his knees, 2D wheezed peering up at the stone cold face of the stubborn woman. Meryn stood quietly, back against the cool metal wall. Hands clenched and twitched restlessly on their ascent. "K-Kat?",he hacked out trying to clear his throat,"Wot bout tha' cyborg Newdle--"  
  
"She's not going to interrupt right now,"Meryn spoke up staring intently at the doors that had yet to open. "Whaddya mean?",he asked returning to his towering height after clearing his throat a final time. "Wot if it tries t'kill yew again?!",he croaked heavy with concern. "That fall could've killed **you** D,"came blurted out in response with a rather sinister glare. "Uhm,"he gulped. 2D's bottom lip trembled, mouth slightly ajar from words that wanted to be said. "He can't keep getting away with these things",Meryn sighed trying to soften her voice, at least wanting to put him at ease with a less urgent scornful speech.  
  
-Bing-  
  
The doors slowly opened.  
  
2D lifted his hand in plea but was ultimately ignored. He found himself suddenly standing alone in the empty elevator at the speedy exit of Meryn disappearing around the corner. "M-Meryn! KAT?!", he shook with a slow reaction time. Out the doors and around the corner, her mind couldn't be changed. There was no time like the present after all. From the room that Murdoc had kept a mystery to the kitchen he was nowhere to be found. Irritated, purple hair flung from left to right in search darting off in the next direction at random. A slight frown worn on the man still immobile now outside the elevator car twiddling his fingers and pivoting his head accordingly to watch the pacing back and forth. "Ugh", she grumbled in frustration turning on her heel for the door to the terrace. "Hey-Wait!",he darted from the spot he'd been glued to. A large hand reached out successfully grabbing hold of the woman's wrist.  
  
"Why won't you let me defend you?!", she barked over her shoulder vibrating in exasperation. "Coz Murdoc--He's jus gonna sick tha cyborg aftah yew!",he cried out the answer pulling her away from the sliding glass door. Spun around, Meryn was immediately pressed against him in a possessive embrace. No time to process his concern her face was buried in his chest. A bit satisfied with the neurotic woman in his possession, 2D smiled sheepishly in her hair. "I can't make it 'ere wiff out yew Kat, I'll go beserk if yew leave me 'ere ol' alone..." He had no idea where he was going with this sudden declaration. Images of women in his life taken away too soon surfaced and took hold of the weakness 2D didn't understand. A mix of woe, contempt, and hopelessness controlled his touch against her skin. Shaky fingers grasping at the small of Meryn's back desperate to hold on.  
  
After a moment he surfaced from the sweet comforting aroma of her hair. "Pleaze don' let him take yew away frum me, I-I love yew", he spoke low and weary. 2D's heart skipped a beat in uncertainty but still, he pressed on refusing to risk losing her here. "I love you too D", warmth burst out against his shirt at her mumbled reply. Finally, she responded going limp in his arms. Turning her head she sighed now breathing out freely. 2D's grip loosened and traveled up her body to rest his hands at her shoulders. A light nudge pushed her away enough to admire the shy look in her eyes. "Yew don' hafta worry bout me," he insisted,"I been hit and hurt loooads of tiomes and none of em killed me!"  
  
Meryn begrudgingly shook her head in disagreement,"I don't want to lose you either, that's why Murdoc needs to get whats coming to him." She wrenched her eyes away scowling at the floor in an attempt to calm herself for his sake. "H-Hey Kat", he softly asked running a finger through her hair,"Could yew um kiss me ol' bettah?" She looked up slightly suddenly put on the spot. 2D scratched the hair returning above his lip,"Murdoc he said tha' he'd...ya know...try and shag yew up." Awkward rambling ensued he stuttered and struggled to find the words he needed to say quite insecure.   
  
"Heh," she cackled to herself shaking her head,"That'll never happen."  
  
"Y-Yeah," he murmured,"Iunno I'm a lil' jealous or somefink..."  
  
Heavily sighing, Meryn straightened up looking the troubled man in the eyes. Gentle hands cupped and caressed his face evidently full of worry and embarrassment. As she leaned in with the slight elevation of her toes, the kindness in her eyes was lovely as they came to a close at the distance between them lessened. A little smile lining her lips beckoned him to meet her halfway. The joining melded the pair together. 2D seemed to feed off the intimate back and forth, mirroring her movements wholeheartedly with the longing caress of his own hands on the underside of her jaw. Nimble fingers grazed along the shape of her face, content with the simple but heart-warming joining of lips. At long last, she pulled away breathing in the scent that was 90% him. Gradually the brown eyes opened witnessing the cigarette scented sigh of relief to come bursting out of his lungs. The scent that she had come to love; tobacco, mild soap, and aftershave that smelled of breezy alpine took over her senses, made all the more enticing by the happiness registering in the vast voids of darkness. "Fanks...," murmured 2D, his lips forming a meek grin.   
  
Always rendered incapable of realistic thoughts while caught in his stare, Meryn went blank for a moment entranced easily as always floating in starless space orbs that gazed down at her oblivious of the power a simple look had over her. "Yew ol'right?",he asked raised one thick brow. "Mmhm!",Meryn squeaked going stiff after realizing she'd been staring again. 2D didn't quite pick up the reason why instead rolling his shoulders and letting her undying devotion go flying over his head. "Anyway...," she started up shifting her weight from side to side,"What'd you say to make him push you?" Awkward she hastily tried to keep the conversation going. He shrugged,"Jus sum o'tha stuff yew tol' me." Head tilted backward he tried to recall his exact words rubbing the scuffed up tissue on his forehead with a tinge of pain. "Stuff bout him needin' me t'be successful...Donno why I did though, guess my patience is runnin' thin lately...," his head leveled back down to focus on her again.  
  
"Hmph," Meryn sneered,"After all he's done to you I'd say some back talk is well earned...if nothing else."   
  
"Well...", he mumbled kicking his feet a tad bit,"Whenevah' I do yeah? It ol'ways ends wiff him takin' a piss a'me."  
  
Reminiscing on the relationship he's had with Murdoc for years, 2D repeatedly winced at each painful occurrence. "Had stuff thrown a'me...been thrown a couple tiomes before this latest one nao...", halting every so often he stood shrinking in posture at each humiliating experience. "Yew remembah'? How fings used t'be a'Kong?",he asked raising his head above her eye level in a bit of embarrassment. "Of course I do," she replied under her breath.   
  
"Yew ol'ways stood up f'me",2D spoke dreamily winking down at her. "As strong as Murdoc is yer quite strong too," he forced an exaggerated smile that appeared more pained than anything else. "Hmph...he's not so tough," Meryn spoke up looking off to the side in irritation. "R-Really," he seemed taken aback,"I remembah' yew two goin' a'it sumtiomes...loike if he was pickin' on me or somefink."   
  
"Nevah seen a gerl fight a man before nd hold her own.....besides Noodle but she's a experimental prodigy of the Japanese government so I guess it doesn't count..."  
  
"I'm not afraid to fight a man," Meryn clarified,"But I'm aware that I could be...bested if that's what you're getting at..."  
  
"I don' wan' no more men touchin' yew but me,"blurted out loud from his mouth. "Don' wan' yew gettin' hurt nao either, O.K. Kat?",a little bashful of his outburst, 2D chuckled humming to himself and scratching the back of his head. Meryn blinked and her sun kissed face went a certain tinge of red. "Seriously though Kat!", he suddenly placed his hands atop both her shoulders gaining her full attention,"Don't try and fight him f'me...or tha' fake Noodle."  
  
Her attention darted elsewhere. "...That all depends on him", she murmured narrowing her eyes and a prominent scowl tugging at her lips. "Murdoc's a bitter old man who's never been put in his place properly," her tone shifted becoming scathing and offensive. "I...Yeah--I agree wiff yew but he's been through sumfings ya know...",2D attempted to defend the man disregarding the constant pain he was put through for the sake of entertaining the bully of a grown man. Chocolately eyes flicked back to him, with a somber expression now taking over her face,"There you go again D...Why do you think you owe that green bitch anything?"  
  
Long fingers threaded together in unease, thumbs twiddling with a sour puckered look on his face. "Coz...I wuldn't be were I wuz t'day if he hadn't hit me wiff his car?",he spoke as if asking for validation. Meryn blinked shaking her head disapproving,"That's not a good reason D..." He nodded,"Yeah O.K. I kno tha' but--" Cut off mid-thought, Meryn groaned aloud throwing her head back in disarray,"I don't get it. How could you not want to get even???"  
  
"...Sometiomes I do, sometiomes I try, but it doesn't seem worfh it t'me much anymore."  
  
2D didn't get it either. His allegiance with the selfish manipulative bassist and well-respected leader of the band he loved playing with never dwindled even when getting kicked, punched, or harassed by the man. In every interview he'd done alongside the man, 2D had remained loyal to Murdoc aside from some snide remarks said in frustration. Making a point to express the respect and thanks he had for the adventure that came with being forced to join Gorillaz. A bit hurt he sighed, lowering his head,"Iunno Kat, Murdoc's ol'ways been loike this, he forced me into the band yeah...But he kidnapped Russel too!"  
  
As if that sufficed for a reason he looked to her hoping she let it go.   
  
"Russel decided to stay from what he told me D. And besides that, Russel doesn't take Murdoc's crap...and neither will I,"Meryn clenched her fist with a heavy sigh escaping her lips. He fell silent unsure of what to say, rocking back and forth on the heels of his boots. "Why won't you let me help you?",she barked in exasperation,"You don't want me getting hurt but I'm just supposed to stand by and let you be his punching bag???"  
  
"I'm tellin' ya, I can handle it...",2D's shoulders slumped into a bad hunched over posture. She stood eyes wide open and flabbergasted shaking her head every so often at the immovable man.   
  
"UGHHH", the loudest sigh and groan wailed out from her lungs,"If you don't want me to fight him...I-I guess I won't..." A fire in her eyes struck him unexpectedly sending a warm rush throughout his body. "There are other ways of getting even," she elaborated with a sparkle peeking out between her lips. 2D blinked furrowing his brows together,"Rioght..." He knew what she meant and couldn't help but gradually break into a wide idiotic grin. 2D respected Murdoc, but he certainly did get tired of the never-ending beat downs and threats. His words from the month prior still bothered him after all.  
  
_"If she's being fooled by you, she's not as smart as I thought she was, must be the extended exposure to your empty head."_  
  
_"Don't worry I'm sure you'll fuck it up soon anyway. But if you don't I'll just come take her from you like I do all your little playmates."_  
  
The man had called his bluff and put him on the spot for forcing the words that made him cringe every time he said them. The simple fact that he had no idea the extent of his feelings for Meryn enough to name it with confidence kept him up at night and yet he continued to do it. Every day he laid beside her sleeping form guilty of feigning love and failing to define his own affection for her. The lie came out so easily, too easily. Every single time he saw and bathed in her radiance the words came flying out his mouth. Quite a bad habit to develop when the words fell flat in reality. Her ecstatic beaming smile burned a hole in his chest following each lie that left his lips having come to the only conclusion he could make sense of. He would swallow the pain, convert to believing in a God and pray to the floating man in the sky that he'd be able to say the words with confidence for once.  
  
But for now...2D's teeth in plain sight, gold, missing spaces and all; he would indulge in this form of revenge for the man who had it out for him. Inside him, the longing to be wanted and want in return had taken over. Physical intimacy sufficing for the fairy-tale feeling he thought love to be. Back to the present, he blinked himself to attention catching movement in the corner of his eye. The man of topic came into view from where they stood in front of the glass door to the outside. Nightfall turned most of the sky a deep indigo with the smallest hint of purple and pink on the horizon at the disappearing sun. It was as if the universe was providing 2D with an opening per her suggestion. The closer the green man got to the door, the more eager he was to show off what he had.   
  
Spur the moment, the black eyes fell on her. Meryn's back still turned away from the approaching man and oblivious to the look of mischievousness in 2D's eyes. In question, her head cocked at the sudden squinting intensity staring down at her. Taken off guard, Meryn's back hit the glass with a thud as he came close pressing his body against her own with urgency. Plump kissable lips attacked by thin ones resisting the urge to smile into the connection of their mouths. "Hm", she hummed, her head leaning backwards thudding against the glass right after. In complete contrast to their previous lip lock, 2D took it upon himself to put on a hell of a show. Hands possessively roamed sliding underneath her shirt, along the arched curve of her spine grasping the back of her head to possess and angle her upward with firm control.  
  
A chill traveled along ghosting after his touch with an arching shudder tingling in his hold. Teetering on the balls of her feet she tried to meet him with desperation clinging and smashing her lips back to his. The shirt hiked up a bit exposing the lean muscle tone to the chilly air; 2D's other large hand took this as an invitation to grasp her waist warranting another arch forward. Fingers roamed up and down the skin uncovered, grazing over the ribs that poked out in such a prominent arch beneath her breasts. Trailing back down a single finger tugged at the denim shorts that hugged her hips. Electrified she threw her arms around him wanting to feel the warmth of his own bare skin. Delicate but capable hands slid up his own torso gliding over the bony build and finding refuge caressing the one part of his body that wasn't complete skin and bones.  
  
Pretty strong arms on an otherwise skinny and gangling guy. Squeezing the toned upper arms that enabled him to sweep her off her feet on occasion. He'd guessed it with a low chuckle escaping between smacks and flicks of the tongue. Meryn's arms wrapped around his neck with a giggle of her own echoing back as he lifted her slightly. Her body hanging an inch or so off the floor due to their similar heights. Soft skin pressed against him with their bodies mashing together, one arm wrapping around her hip grazing over Meryn's lower back before returning to tug at the belt loops. Lace bra peeking from underneath her raised shirt and the rim of matching blue panties made visible by the increased tug of her jeans. Lip-smackingly delicious an encounter, the push, and pull of their mouths never ceased instead panting in turns whenever the need to breathe knocked at their lungs.  
  
One black eye peeked open to the green man now directly in front of the sliding glass door standing wide eyed through his greasy bowl cut bangs with a cigarette hanging from his chapped lips. 2D soared; all hairs on his body standing upright full of excitement displaying the kittenish nature of the woman hanging off of him and clinging on for dear life. Murdoc chortled behind the glass sliding the door open and startling the woman much to his delight. At his entry, the door pushed at her back now sprung forward from where it stayed pressed against the glass. Glazed over a bit, she shot a look to the interruption as 2D broke the binding of their mouths. Hands still holding on, he placed her back down to her tall-for-a-female stature, curvy body possessively close and the smarmiest of grins worn on his otherwise anxious face. With half the gall he had before they'd been interrupted, 2D looked to Murdoc inquiring with a subtle patronizing glint in his dark eyes.  
  
"Hn, you're not dead I see," the man exhaled a lung full of smoke at the two of them. Disgusted, Meryn held her breath blinking through the eye burning smog from the green man's black lung. No memories of her mother came with the puff of smoke and it certainly wasn't sweet as when 2D exuded the scent of tobacco. Everything Murdoc did was repulsive to her. His treatment of her lover, and everyone else. The fact that he had trapped them both here and used her as bait. It was unfathomably annoying, and the disgust showed clear as day on her face. As a last resort, the arms wrapped around 2D fell in aid of covering her nose. No indication she suddenly found herself pulled forth hard against the wiry body. Cheek resting against the muscle tee 2D wore, the hardness of his chest was comforting.   
  
She blinked placing a questioning palm to the warming surface giving in and allowing herself to be held before the horrid man. "Din't see yew there Murdoc!",2D played ignorant with a lackluster performance. The possessive arms pulled tighter with a low rumbling snicker that vibrated into her ear. "Suuure you didn't mate,"Murdoc rolled his eyes,"I saw you peeking at me while you were tongue deep in Ryn's gob." The green man flicked the lit cigarette at the sickeningly sweet pair blowing another gust of lung cancer in their faces. 2D flinched stumbling to the side. The little upper hand he had melting away in his spastic movements. The young woman went stumbling along with him practically tripping over her own feet. Teeth clenched and bug-eyed, 2D stood insecure and hunched over having lost his nerve,"Stahp doin' tha'!"  
  
Huffing, Meryn's eyes narrowed into two slits beginning to fail in containing herself. A heavy force came down to the little orange flame starting on the carpet snuffed out to completion underneath her rubber soles in one attempt. The green man turned his attention to her crossing both arms across his chest," Hm? Something you want to add Ryn?"  
  
She remained silent, staring unamused, mouth twitching at her continued thinning patience.  
  
"Nothing? Really?",Murdoc stepped forward with a cocky crooked grin. Head tilting in a condescending but suggestive manner. Directly in front of the woman, he stopped just a few inches away standing face to face with her despite the two-inch difference she had over him. The devious grin exposed all of his teeth that matched how crooked a look he wore. Just past her, 2D peered over her shoulder, teeth indenting his thin lips quivering with anxiety and deepened with a twinge of jealousy stabbing at his heart. "Never seen you this quiet", Murdoc continued to try her patience,"Come now, entertain me with some of the lip you're famous for!"  
  
Grunting a chortle he paused taking his incessant harassment to a new level,"Either way is just fine with me love. I've seen the job you do on my front man."  
  
That got a reaction.  
  
Meryn blinked herself to attention, brows furrowing and mouth pulling into a scowl she hummed,"What are you saying?"  
  
Terror struck the blue-haired man now frazzled and fidgeting in place behind them. He'd specifically kept the fact that Murdoc could see what they were doing in their alone time secret, knowing there would be no chance of Meryn keeping any favors or her hands to herself. "She doesn't know?",Murdoc called past her on his toes. 2D shrunk even further, looking elsewhere,"Uhm well..." Murdoc returned his attention to the woman gone completely stiff,"To put it bluntly sweetheart...", he began rolling out his tongue, a foreign green hand grazing over her lips in a frown;"The way you slob on that little blue-haired knob really gets me going--Now don't get your knickers in a twist Ryn consider this incentive to the favor I've done you."  
  
An uncomfortable silence filled the limited space between them. Made more uncomfortable by a broad sinister grin that replaced her scowl. With a quick sigh, a swift hand collided with Murdoc's smarmy face. A loud thunderous thwack clapped through the room. 2D jumped in place shaken and wincing at the familiar sound that he'd heard over and over again. "Tss,"Murdoc hissed through his teeth holding the stinging flesh in the shape of her hand on his face,"Always such a twat, even when I'm paying you a compliment."  
  
"Fuck you."  
  
"Sure thing Ryn! Just get rid of the attitude and the twerp and we'll give it a go."   
  
He dared to further piss her off finding her tendency to snap oddly charming. The crusty green hand rose once more running along the delicate lips that his frontman had been attached to moments ago. Immediately he was shoved backwards a foot or two, staggering a bit taken back.  
  
"If you touch me again, I'll break it."  
  
With a sneer he caught his balance, shooting a look at the trembling man behind her seemingly trying to decide what he should do. Returned to the stony-faced woman Murdoc pressed on,"Yeah, you can keep your empty threats." Being dared, Meryn's eyes came to life with a fiery intensity,"Would you like me to break your hand Murdoc?" She dared him to continue taking the necessary steps forward to be face to face with the disgusting man again. Pride took over and Meryn refused to made a fool of. The pleas of her lover forgotten in an instant she waited for the old wretch to answer.  
  
"Actually, I would,"Murdoc stated matter of factly extending a hand without a second thought. A slow nod started out until she obliged with a twisted smile,"O.K.!" A bold grasp on the green hand, she snapped yanking the index and middle fingers topped off with crooked and unkempt nails until they bent backward in a stomach-turning crackle, unnatural and mangled appearance. 2D's entire face seemed to implode in disgust of such a sound, but the sounds that came next made the noise of fractured bone nothing in comparison.Swearing guttural derogatory terms, the man fired back hammering a fist into her stomach. Come to life, she bit through the pain wrenching deep in her gut instinctively driving her knee up into his groin. Forward he flung in pain from the weakness every man had, hissing a jumbled up slur that she assumed to be as offensive as the spit that flecked onto her face. The challenge had been accepted, a followed up shove of his own threw the woman backwards careful not to further warp his afflicted hand. Meryn staggered a bit falling into the arms of 2D now unfrozen from where he was.  
  
"H-Hey!",he complained shouting without much thinking required,"Yew can hit me if yew wan' but yer nawt s'pposed t'hit a gerl--!" Meryn had already disappeared from his arms. In sprinting take off she lunged herself at the man toppling over with Murdoc to the floor below. His reaction time terribly lagged, 2D slow realized the severity of what was unfolding before him. He'd merely blinked, and she reappeared in a full-on brawl with the man. The two of them clearly lost their minds a ball of rage on the floor kicking, elbowing, punching with a mix of savage grunts and shrieked cries of wrath that sounded every heavy-handed blow. "S-STAHP", the man shook stuttering in plea with his feet bringing him forward despite being in range of their blows to each other. Both hands grasped her shoulders being nudged off in the middle of a frenzy and 2D inwardly grimaced recalling the other occurrences he'd had to deal with.  
  
"I said STAHP!",he barked an order pulling at her shoulder once more. 2D's usual creaky drawl was clear and effortless to understand amplified by the loudest volume he'd ever uttered in front of either of them. Meryn jumped turning her head in shame, shaky and ashamed of indulging in what he'd just asked her not to less than 10 minutes ago. In her moment of weakness, a fist collided with her jaw. Harsh her teeth clenched absorbing the impact and somehow biting her tongue in the process. Blood was drawn, she whimpered stuck under the judging eyes letting the rest of the swings connect with her face. A blackout fluctuated at one landed blow in particular that punched her straight in the teeth, sending her into a blind rage sprung forward with anvil hands landing on Murdoc's scrunched face below.  
  
Rabid and out of control punching became wild clawing and frenzied disgruntled howls. "F-Fuckinggcuhnt", Murdoc squirmed underneath grabbing a hand full of tussled hair yanking the woman's neck in a sharp direction. "QUIT IT!",2D yelled in a disgusted tone grabbing the green hand stuck in her wavy straggling hair. The soft beachy curls he'd always loved so much made stringy and unfamiliar in the man's unrelenting tug. "LET 'ER GO!", the once-shaky trembling man boldly swung at the arm that held her head afraid the yanking might break her neck. "RIGHT NAO! MERYN GIT'OFF 'IM", another command came along with a stabbing glare that was half worried half angry with her. With perhaps the most disappointment she'd seen from him in the years of knowing him.  
  
Immediately she froze, Meryn teared up a bit swallowed the blood and saliva pooled at her teeth. "GO ON!",he spat the order urging her to leave her hands by her side. Obedient, the hands fell limp by her sides flinching at the rising panic that was taking her breath away. The green hand yanked in the opposite direction swinging the rattled woman in with no consideration. A loud pop sounded along with her half her body colliding onto the floor. Meryn whimpered leaning in the direction her head was forced in efforts to take some of the force out of his relentless yanking, teary eyes squeezed shut in surrender. "MURDOC!",2D spat shooting the same glance at the bastard bass player,"LET GO YER GUNNA BREAK 'ER!"  
  
"THE BITCH STARTED IT, ITS ONLY FAIR!",the crotchety old man spat back through crooked teeth with another neck snapping tug. "Ouwwh!",she yelped staggering halfway off the man. "BESIDES!",Murdoc bucked forward sitting back up after long last,"FROM ALL THE KINKY SHIT YOU TWO DO, I KNOW THE CUNT BITCH LIKES HAVING HER HAIR PULLED--YER LUCKY I DON'T STEP IT UP AND CHOKE HER OUT--"  
  
2D snapped finding the gall to do what needed to be done. He stood to his feet quickly drew a lengthy leg backwards. Like a pendulum, the top of his steel-toed boots came slamming into the unsuspected man's rib-cage. Instantaneously the air was knocked out of him and the crooked sneer became wide open in the shape of an 'O'. Wheezing the hand let go and released Meryn's hair; with a thud she fell to the floor on her side, long strands of violet floating to the floor severed from her scalp. The ball of tangled locks came forward draping over her face as she placed an open hand to the floor to lift herself back up. Something about the many strands of hair that had been disconnected from her head scattering across the floor possessed 2D to continue. Dropping to his knees he took Meryn's place atop the recovering man. Larger hands came down strangling the life out of the hissing and choking old man. Snaggled teeth biting into his trembling lip he couldn't stop himself. Everything he'd held inside till this point came bubbling up and gave him the strength and courage to keep pressing no matter how Murdoc bucked or squirmed. Even when the man suddenly stopped moving and his abnormally long tongue hung from his dying breath, 2D couldn't bring himself to stop. Teeth clenching and black lacquer eyes spiraling he barely heard his own name being called.  
  
"2D,"Meryn hesitantly called. The voice familiar but the name formal compared to what she had been calling him for years. It was just attention grabbing enough to make his head swivel over to meet her misty gaze. Promptly, he let go. A harsh inhale tore through the air as air re-entered Murdoc's lungs. "C-Come on", she shakily urged tugging at his arm. Straight-faced, he shook his head, slowly standing to his feet,"Yew shuld go back t'tha underwater bunkah now and wait f'me there." Voids narrowed and resolute he tilted his head in the direction of the elevator,"Besides, Cyborg's 'ere."  
  
There it, or she was. Standing by the elevator staring the both of them down. "Go on,"2D nudged at her extending a hand. Meryn took it and was effortlessly pulled to her own feet. "I-I'm--," she stuttered caught off guard by two heavy hands that came down on her shrunken shivering shoulders. "I'll walk yew t'tha lift", he insisted guiding her past the cyborg's following eyes into the cylindrical car. Meryn looked up to see his back turned leaving her so she could retreat below to their little shelter. Beside her the Cyborg stood eyeing the woman carefully, while armed with one of the many guns she left it to hang by her metallic side seemingly reluctant to use it. The image of 2D back turned and sauntering over to the green man struggling to get up off the floor. The last thing seen was a swift swing across the beautiful man's portrait. His expression blank and haunting as his eyes landed on the guilty woman pathetic and sniveling at the abuse he'd encountered many times before. He'd take the beating for her.  
  
"D...", lip quivering she whispered his name, squeaking in heart-wrenching pain once the slit in the door came to close.


	41. Murdoc is a god.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short one that dives into Murdoc's state of mind.

Bit by bit, hacking and gasping for air subsided. Half wheezing, Murdoc turned on his side; teeth clenched and fists balled up as the blurry sight became clear. The blue-haired man who'd just aided in assaulting him stood back-turned, shoulders slumped guiding his disheveled sleeping partner to the safety of the elevator. One demonic eye narrowed in rage and humiliation struggling to stand back up after the damage done. Old bones creaked and snapped as he got on one knee eyeing the broken phalanges jutting in the wrong direction. Nearby is supposed security neglected to do what she was programmed to do. Protect him. Left utterly alone. The Cyborg's eyes fixated on Meryn entered standing alongside her where the she was frozen in place; eyes wide in horror. Murdoc's mouth twisted into a foul grimace finally managing to stand, staggering a bit before natural equilibrium set in and allowed him to balance.  
  
Right on time, 2D turned back around taking bold accepting steps towards the beaten shell of a man struggling to recreate the facade he'd always used to defend himself. Black eyes on him, Murdoc knew the man was too stupid to read him, so then why did it feel like his idiot frontman was seeing through him and all his feeble attempts to maintain the stony appearance he'd created so long ago. Crusty lip quivering, Murdoc bared his fist as the usually timid and fearful man now standing before him stood waiting for the inevitable. Hands in his pockets, 2D closed his eyes.  
  
"D...", came in a hushed broken tone marking the mental collapse of the trembling woman.  
  
Slowly the metallic doors came together; the view of the young woman inwardly spiraling burned into Murdoc's memory as he reared back and delivered the consequence 2D was waiting for. His good hand collided square against the jaw of the man willfully taking punishment. In one swing 2D hit the floor, falling backwards and landing on his side. With a thud, he merely laid there awaiting more pain to come. No point in fighting back or begging, he'd been through this long enough to know when he should just lie down and accept his fate. Cheek against the cool flooring he blinked voids wide then thinning at her fleeing visage. Pretty lips scrambled in a panic and brown eyes gleamed with tears until the doors had completely closed.  
  
Without warning seafaring boots stabbed into the skinny man in multiple swift kicks. No words said, only the sounds of grunting effort being put into damaging the man who'd stepped out of his place and the very same victim howling or wailing in pain. The leathery soles dirty with artificial grass and sand went stomping down harsh against 2D's shallow stomach. "HRGH", he heaved below his superior's foot, the air knocked out of him and choking on the acid that burst up his esophagus. "Didn't like that did you mate?",Murdoc heckled low and indifferent adding a kick upside his already damaged head. The room spun on impact, and the noir marbles rolled around in their indented sockets. Another kick crashed into his barred teeth, an off-white shard falling to the floor out of the ajar afflicted mouth.  
  
Water droplets lined the corners of the 8-ball fractured eyes and streamed down his bruising cheeks.   
  
Murdoc worshiped the devil, yet somehow regarded himself as God. Never having done so much direct damage to the man he made a success, morality pulled at the green man's cobweb-covered heartstrings. As cold as he could be, he spat at the fragile man,"You got yourself into this, so fix your face. All of this is for Meryn, now before I go finish the deed with her--"  
"NO WAIT!",cried underneath the weight of Murdoc's foot along with weak shaky arms extended in plea. "J-JUS-Jus take it out on me! I can 'andle it!"  
  
Murdoc scowled with a kick to his neck. "HRMFH",2D gurgled bringing his knees to his chest. His safe place. Fetal position. As vulnerable as a newborn child. Tooth chipped, the edge dug deep into his bottom lip which remained under constant trembling pressure being bitten into. The cries of the poor man had been heard throughout their collective past, but these helpless groans of agony did nothing to satiate the twisted bassist's anger. Too hurt. And everything clearly gone too far.  
  
Still...Staring at the damage a single girl had done to his appendage, Murdoc wouldn't forget this, for more reasons than one. Beaten and put down in childhood, he'd seen eye to eye with the young lady lucky enough to land a connection with his world renounced band. He'd never tell her, but he'd always seen a bit of himself in her. And while it was the incessant desire to bed her like he would anyone else. More than any of the skewed desire to be with her, he'd always wanted to be with her for his well being. Too similar to complement each other Murdoc knew from the start that their relationship was limited and subject to change per her mood or distaste for the slew of advances he'd made in vain. Green lids lowered with pity of the cowering man shivering on the floor and unholy remorse set in for the woman left in shambles floors below.  
  
As usual, Murdoc was a monster; bizarrely excitable when everything and everyone was dancing along to his tune in as much anguish as he. Under the eyes of God himself, green hands held all the pawns and tools in his palms. All except her. A defiant finger pointed up at "god" and laughed in the face of the immortal. Questioning. Pitying. And triumphant with the power to strike down the green god of envy and cast him back down to earth with the rest of the feeble humans. Doomed to live among the common man and partake in life's cruelty as a false human, never to know the sweet release of death like the others and damned to an eternity of woeful self-hatred as countless lives passed him by.   
  
The hand not bent in a disturbing direction reached into his back pocket, Murdoc slid a cigarette out of the half-empty pack popping it between his dried lips. The same hand fished into the other, sparking a light that flickered in close proximity of his numb face. The end lit filled his lungs with toxic smoke. The flame fluttered from side to side against his exhale and shone bright even in the cloud of smoke that escaped him. The same as her beckoning him near. Smooth and fluid. Flowing, yet hiding an undeniable fiery intensity within. That's who he longed to smite him. Captivated by the warm danger emitted he stared into the orange ember. Entranced with the youthful little flame, Murdoc brought the might hand of god down smoldering the tiny life that burned and hissed against his open palm until he could take it no longer.  
  
Hand removed from heat, searing pain sizzled and scarred the first layer of skin. The lighter's flame successfully snuffed out but fated to come back to life for its next use. Smoke chimney-ed from his nostrils and lungs as the human and demon eye acknowledged the poor pathetic soil lying immobile and sniffling at his feet.   
  
"You there Face-ache?",he spoke up in his rasping drawl flicking the oil lighter to a close. Nonchalant he forced the bent fingers back into place as best he could. "Go on, back to your cell. Recess is over", floating aimlessly through the quieted air as he stepped over the body that remained on the floor. Movements delayed, 2D gradually lifted himself up off the wooden floor. Watching the silly lanky man with tears still spilling over and streaming down his bruised cheek, Murdoc couldn't help but smirk chuckling to himself in dissatisfaction. Even someone so clueless, uncoordinated, and weak defied him. And as the slender man picked himself up; 2D was at this moment stronger and more capable than he. Regardless of how weak and how much of a push over the man was, 2D wouldn't be snuffed out for long either.  
  
Into the elevator, the abused man staggered silently wiping away his tears unknowingly still under the judgment of God himself. Bested by two lowly people, Murdoc could only laugh louder, shoulders bouncing and grunting in an off-putting discordant tune at the bitter jealousy that was his own downfall. Weird. He found himself oddly thankful for the polar opposite pair. Somehow he looked forward to the promise of more pain to come, courtesy of Meryn Jakes and welcomed wholeheartedly. The first woman to reject him with every fiber of her being, and go so far as to break his bass playing fingers. Yet good spirited enough for someone as cowardly as 2D to shield her. The doors slid to a close and Murdoc humbly accepted his fumble.  
  
"Ah well...," he groaned turning on his heel, removing the cigarette from the corner of his lips,"I lost this one. I'll have to try harder next time."  
  
Or.  
  
Harder to be human.


	42. Self Destruction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Potentially triggering content and unconventional sex acts.

Frozen against the cool metal wall, their descent began in silence. The lone cyborg boldly stared at the woman that perplexed her so. She hadn't breathed once since the elevator doors came to a close and separated her from the person she loved. The corners of Meryn's mouth twitched unconsciously, her eyes blank but screaming at the same time somehow. Everything inside her was telling her to do something stupid. Something that'd undoubtedly make things worse and degrade Meryn back to her high school-aged self. The one that wanted to die and had failed, but was too weak to ever try it again. At moments like these, she was unable to see outside her own frame of mind. Everything was spiraling, the entire elevator car just a whirlpool taking them into the depths of the ocean. At long last, the car sounded a chime at the arrival of their destination. The same cool dark walk space that extended to her cellar door. The Cyborg stepped out, head turning to stare silently at the woman immobile in the same spot. Gun in artificial hands, Cyborg Noodle tapped the side of the car doors beginning to close at Meryn's drawn-out stall. The presence of the weapon stopped the doors in their tracks, reopening accordingly. So quiet the sounds of electronic clicking could be heard at the couple blinks the androids lids had made mirroring human behavior in a situation as awkward and endless as this.  
  
For so long nothing had happened, the lack of breathing from the woman whose eyes stayed stuck on the floor were starting to make the false human wonder of the woman she was escorting had died and somehow hadn't toppled over. Back pushing off the wall, Meryn chuckled low getting a bit of a scare out of the curious humanoid that drew close in investigation. Taken by surprise, it stepped backwards allowing the bizarre woman to pass; its head moved along watching her movements unable to compute the behavior being displayed. Just another thing lost on the android whose only purpose was security and the replacement of Gorillaz esteemed guitarist. Mouth coming undone, mechanical whirring and a off putting hoarse hiss sounded as if to dismiss any energy being further wasted on attempting to understand the situation. Drawn forward in its combat boots, the shorter in stature being whizzed by promptly typing in the pass code that would put Meryn in brief solitary confinement.   
  
That is until 2D came back. If...he did.  
  
The door opened slowly, and Meryn walked herself inside all of a sudden with urgency. Desperate to be put away, she would happily jail herself for this fumble. This fuck up. It had caused 2D more pain both emotionally, and physically. It was very clear what he had done; urging her to leave and insisting he'd take care of the situation somehow. The seriousness in his eyes and just how nonsensical he was in that very moment told her everything. He would take the beating she deserved. 2D would be made to suffer in equivalence with the damage she'd done to Murdoc. As usual, her outbursts and violence caused trouble and even though it seemed worth it...The disappointment in the usually childish 2D stabbed at her heart and scolded every cell in her body. Meryn stood in the middle of their shared space, head lowered, she was now shaking. Molecules vibrating as if she'd turn into mush and die a miserable puddle on the floor.  
  
Silence overtook her and she failed to notice the retreating metal form behind her, closing Meryn inside what may as well be her padded cell for an allotted time to come. The squeak and click of the door that slammed shut echoed through her. The pang resonating with her breaking mind, and allowing her to snap. Eyes widened in her safe space. Completely alone, no one could see or hear the breakdown. A deep strained inhale tore through the air in a shriek, signifying the loss of self control and the full-on neurosis now taking over. On exhale, shaking hands flew to her hair, knotted and napped up from the brawl. Angry fingers pulled and tugged at the roots. Teeth clenched and hyperventilating through them with a stagger that brought Meryn's feet forward. "NGH!",she grunted tearing loosened hairs from her head, a shrill scream framing the insanity bubbling over.  
  
Forward she hunched, still held up by her two feet but barreling towards the floor with tussle of hair hiding her face. Clawing at the blankets of hair she yelled digging nails into the skin just below the thickened locks. Hot air warmed the purple locks held down at her lips muffling the second scream that sounded as she wavered from side to side in agonizing hatred for herself. There were no thoughts behind her movements; all just done spur the moment and limbs acting on their own. Arms swung forward at nothing and she fell to her knees grabbing a pained handful of the shaggy carpet. The other came down against the floor hard in bursts of energy that sounded like hitting a metal wall. "Fuck!",Meryn swore biting her lip without thinking tearing the already sore skin into a slight split.  
  
Out of nothingness, she begin to laugh falling backwards onto her butt, pain resonated on impact through her tailbone as she crashed down. "AHaHAhhahaHAUH", cackling ensued as she flung the rest of herself back against the floor. Kicking and swinging at nothing she had lost it and no longer cared to uphold any kind of pride gained from sustaining every negative moment up til this point. Rolled from side to side she laughed maniacally holding her tensing stomach in horrible pain. Neck swiveling from side to side, the pain from Murdoc's jerking her around came back tenfold with blinding searing force. "AA-AHH!",she shrieked a pathetic howl tearing up in humiliation at how she'd been beaten. Rolling onto her stomach, she sniveled crawling for the bathroom lowly and worthless like an insect. Emotional state fluctuating, Meryn sudden jerked herself up from the infantile display hating herself for succumbing to groveling about like a true loser.  
  
To her feet she stomped from the knelt position hurriedly tearing the clothes from her body, throwing them wherever they'd fall around the room. Hair fell back down past her shoulders and down her tensed back at the removal of the shirt, she grunted through her teeth with tears streaming down her face yanking off the bra with disregard to how expensive the garment was. Not caring enough to thoroughly acknowledge the large eye of the same stalking sperm whale peeking in between the split in the makeshift curtains she made many months ago. Jean shorts kicked off and slammed onto the ground with a swift wind breaking clap and panties stamped beneath her feet, pacing into the bathroom. An arm swung the door to a close, shaking the bunker walls. Eyes wild and face out of control, Meryn's head swung to view herself in the mirror. Purple waves floated back down like feathers along her shoulders parting at her heaving chest, the rest of the hair tangled up and falling out onto the floor.   
  
Brown eyes appeared amber and fiery, her mouth wrenched into a deep frown, Meryn saw herself, **really** saw herself. The self, that knocked and nagged at her consciousness stared back happily unbalanced, finally being acknowledged after years of successful self-control. Naked and vulnerable; she was such a pretty woman. An hourglass that a lot of women would love to have with attributes to boot! Attributes that women would pay top dollar for or commit the loathsomeness of crimes to attain. This was her, the luckiest unlucky woman alive. Blessed with good things and cursed to forever be plagued by her past. Everything that made up her history could be examined clear as every scar on her body. Scars varying in size, shape, and color lined the beautiful sandy skin and made ugly the one thing she had going for her.   
  
Meryn's body was a sad wretched tree with many rings; instead of age, her rings showed weakness inflicted by none other than herself. Each stab, cut, burn, scratch, or punch had left a mark leaving no area free of painful memories. Upper thighs with thick lines once torn open, barely bringing forth any blood instead exposed yellow fatty cells and the striations of muscle that enabled voluntary movement. Hips cut into were similar, and bled little. The skin just above surrounded her ribs that appeared and disappeared at each heaving breath. Scars that lined them once a surprising white color, with little to no fat protecting the under layers of her skin. Remembering how they breathed with her on each breath and tore a bit more each time before she passed out from blood loss draining from the suicide attempt slice across her throat. The dragging of the blade against her jugular was a pain never felt before and yet brought such peace once opened. Head reeling backward she recalled the one second of heaven felt from allowing the vital vein to breathe before it all came collapsing in on itself like a dying star and released the gushing flow of the deepest shade of red ever seen. All leading up to the indescribable feeling of dying. Actually dying.  
  
When your body goes light and your eyes roll back in your head. Barely feeling anything as she hit the wooden floor. The life literally draining out of you, your entire existence suddenly on a two-minute timer that counted down as slowly as the fleeting heart palpitations pumping blood nowhere but onto the floor. The cracks in the wooden planks were her new veins as the essence of life webbed out in different directions until it eventually crawled out of her old bedroom and pooled at the warped indentation near the door. Meryn blinked back to the present, where no blood streamed out of her neck. Shaky fingers brought to her throat, Meryn gently touched the raised scar tissue that had to be stitched back together to save her life. The line went across her neck, like an accessory from the 1990's. The scars that were the most abundant peeked from the underside of her arm where it remained as the finger dragged across her neck. Overturned, she viewed her forearms, too many lines to count and varied bruising from other creative self-injurious exploration.  
  
Choked up a bit she heaved feeling sick all of sudden at the smell of rusty rancid metal that clung to her nostrils for weeks after. The same scent wouldn't leave her old room until months later no matter how much she scrubbed. "Kgh--", gagging Meryn flung forward at the sink, a hand flying to clasp over her mouth. "Ksh!",she hacked and coughed suppressing the urge to vomit. _Still the same old me._  
  
Both hands grasped the small counter top of the bathroom looking herself in the mirror once more. Breathing deeply, the glass fogged up forming a circle that got bigger and smaller on each breath. "It's your fault...",she spoke low scowling at the reflection. The reflection looked back returning the disdain,'You're a worthless bitch who can't even kill herself when its the right thing to do.' Violet hair shook back and forth,"It wasn't the right thing to do!" Breathy and trembling her vision was starting to blur. "It wasn't right....," she said again ruefully,"Everyone. Everyone that didn't deserve it...ended up being hurt." Through welling tears, the mocking reflection mirrored her movements shaking its head from side to side,'Someone got hurt this time too, and you didn't have to die to do it.'  
  
'Think about it...'  
  
The inner machinations of her mind spoke freely.  
  
'Was it right to keep living if it meant inconveniencing everyone? And what of this one you have now? He told you not to, but you couldn't help yourself. You never can, Meryn. You're selfish. Your pride and wrath control you. You scare everyone. Even yourself. It isn't my fault, it's all yours. If you died when you were supposed to, you would've done us and everyone you stayed alive for a favor.'  
  
Everything in her eyes a Picasso painting. A spiraled image of color and her own kaleidoscopic nude form. Endless shades of brown and purple, lips and eyes nightmarish, lining every direction her shifting eyes went. Wound up; teeth tensed and peeked out from the quivering lips sounding pants and partial sobs that floated up from her aching lungs. "Stop...STOP! STOP TALKING!",came bursting from her lips with more intensity as she repeated the plea. "It's no big deal!",she lied to herself. "This isn't that bad!",another lie. "2D's mad! But he doesn't hate me...!", shaking her head the tears fell and were replaced with more as they rained down her swelling cheeks.  
  
'Yeah sure.' The cleared image looked to her with pity. 'The look he gave you tells me otherwise.'  
  
There was nothing to reply. No comeback, no fight, just the empty shell left behind that mindlessly stared at herself. No inner monologue, only silence and dead brown eyes tired and devoid of energy. Slowly she blinked, tears still flowing down her cheeks and dropping to her breasts below. Meryn didn't like what she saw, and no matter what...it wasn't going away. This _person_ insisted on bothering her for the rest of her life, and no amount of love from 2D could mend it. Not anymore. Arms rolled backwards, and Meryn stood up straight backing into the wall for a brief moment until her body moved on its own once again. For the tub, her feet took her stopping short of the caulked off-white barrier. One foot and then the other she stepped inside and mindlessly turned the faucet. With a roar, the water instantly flooded at her feet and slowly began to accumulate. Eyes on her feet, she scrunched her toes restlessly as the water warmed. It reminded her of the baths she had to take with her sister's boyfriend whenever she was far too busy with work to be bothered with ensuring the safety of her younger sister.  
  
The legs of an adult now stood in the tub instead of the shorter childish ones. Just as that man had said, she'd become an eye-catching woman. Inwardly, Meryn wondered what the man would say if he could see her now. If this very moment was broadcast to that prison in Atlanta or even to the prison in Tokyo what would the two men who'd molded her childhood and early adulthood think? What would Terra think? If Sol were alive, would he still be proud of his sister? Meryn blinked nonchalantly pressing the lever to initiate the rains of hot water down against her skin. Showering down on her, she stood motionless eyes still on her feet and the drain beginning to suck the flooding water from the tub. Hair drooped and became stringy, the remainder of torn strands falling from her scalp as the water washed overhead. Purple strands danced and got caught at her feet, only a few actually making it down the drain. Meryn said goodbye to the hair she'd spent years growing and brought a numb hand to her head with a lifeless snicker.  
  
Against the shower wall, she leaned her head. Spur the moment, she reared back and slammed her forehead back against the wall. The room shook a loud thud vibrating the tub she stood in. An unholy ringing started in her ears sending bad vibrations down her spine to the rest of her body. Vision wavered for a moment, Meryn was dizzied closing her eyes in order to keep herself standing. "Ahahah hah," she laughed at herself reopening them as they landed on the disposable cheap razor she'd been using the past month. Without thinking, her hand darted for it where it lay beside the bar of soap 2D mostly used. In hand, she held it upright staring at the old blade that was starting to rust. Random hairs still stuck in between the twin blades she weighed out the pros and cons of carelessly cutting herself with an old rusty hair clogged razor. All thoughts were incomplete, the calling of bleeding release was too tempting to sift through for bits of conscience. A small smile lining her lips, she set the blade side down against her wrist and indulged.

* * *

  
Drained and the most horrible headache ever endured in his life, 2D wiped the stray tears away from his cheeks gone pale with hopelessness. Back against the elevator wall, he silently waited for the doors to open, sniffling every so often with his arm held behind his back by the wrist. The door opened faster than he thought it would to the underwater bunker's small corridor. Directly in front of the door, the Cyborg stood blandly and blank in expression shooting a look at 2D as he stumbled backward caught off guard. Too upset to think, he huffed in annoyance pushing his back away from the wall and breezing past the robot in just a few long-legged strides. Over his shoulder, he waited for the remnant of the old Gorillaz guitarist to come forth and lock him away in his cage. Not entirely eager to see Meryn at the moment, but happy to put himself in confinement until the green man he'd assaulted, with the help of his mentally disturbed roommate, came to bark the next set of commands for the Plastic Beach album. That, or kill him. A heavy sigh echoed from wall to wall at the android's delay,"Are yew gunna open iht?" 2D squinted, hand resting on his hip unapologetically impatient.  
  
Subservient the late-teenage android did just that. Bopping along for the door and far too short to be in his line of sight, only the top of her head bounced along until she stood in front of the metal door. Quickly entering the code with a strange unsettling grin on its face, the staggering giant rolled his black marbles folding his arms across his chest. The door opened and 2D pushed his way inside, promptly closing the door behind him to put up a barrier between himself and the outside world. Here, in this smallish living space shared with one girl, he'd learned to relax once in the safety of the bunker walls. But now, he couldn't have been anything close to relaxed. In the corners of his eyes he slowly began to notice the absence of the girl he hadn't taken the time to consider his words for. He'd just wandered back down here obediently and in too much discomfort to begin thinking clearly. Fingers gripping his bruised chest he winced on an exaggerated sigh and groan. "Meryn?",he called bleakly, head swiveling from left to right.   
  
Clothes thrown about in any order on the floor, he noticed they were the ones she'd been wearing earlier. Grumbling under his breath he wasn't sure what he should be feeling for her. Just seeing the clothes brought about an unexplainable frustration, along with the hankering to both yell at and cry to the woman. Irate yet weary. The sound of the shower sounded in his prolonged stall. Gradually he shirked out of his clothes kicking them off to the side. If she was in there, he may as well approach her and shower himself. Who knew? Maybe the warm water would soothe the throbbing contusions of his bruised body. Hissing at the stabbing heat of one area in particular, the burst vessels underneath skin of his ribs. Sighing, he frowned at the bathroom door taking a couple moments to decide what it was he needed to say to her.   
  
A loud thud came just beyond the door grabbing his full attention. 2D blinked, brows furrowing with worry. "Kat?",he called again a little louder. The lack of response was starting to bother him. "Meryn??",he said again walking for the door stepping over her discarded bra and strands of hair sprinkled all over the floor. Soft pieces stuck against the padding of his feet, to which 2D complained in a whimper, mourning the locks that had been yanked out in the recent falling out floors above. A long arm extended grabbing hold of the doorknob, turning it in one motion. Humidity instantly hit his skin as the door opened and the pitter-patter of water sounded like a heavy rain. Voids narrowed, he stepped forward quietly closing the door behind him. Dragging his bare feet against the shower mat, the broken hairs slid off. 2D slouched, his lanky nude form leaning backward blowing air out through his teeth. Lengthy fingers grabbed at the curtains a little anxious, the view of Meryn in sight he opened his mouth to speak. But paused at the pink razor held in between her fingers.  
  
It took a second for him to register what it was he was seeing. Meryn; naked, with a razor blade pressed to her trembling little wrist. So entranced she seemed not to notice his presence. A mixture of sadness, anger, and helplessness angled his lips into a woeful frown. He had no idea what to feel or say, but his arms moved on their own and decided for him. Swift fingers snatched the shaving utensil away and automatically her head turned to meet his. Not much in her eyes, 2D couldn't read her expression. "Whad'dya fink yer doin'...", he asked throwing the razor into the little trash can by the toilet.   
  
No answer.  
  
Wordlessly, he stepped inside moving her body along to the side to make room. Dejected, her head was hung unable to make eye contact with the man who'd caught her in the act. Stare intense, he examined her nudity for any new markings or cuts. His hand darted out grasping the wrist she had held the razor to. Her body halfway under the showering warm water, she stood lifelessly, face mostly covered by the drenched fringe that stuck to her face. 2D frowned releasing her arm watching as it fell back down against her thigh. What was he supposed to do? He'd never seen her so dead inside. "Meryn", he spoke low, voice hoarse and scratchy. She still wouldn't respond, simply remaining there like a statue. "Come on...", he spoke up reaching past her for the cloth hung from the metal bar. Waltzing in a small space, he gripped her waist and spun her to the far corner of the tub, switching sides with her and taking her place underneath the waterfall. Blue hair fell from their spikes as his body was engulfed in the rain shower from above.   
  
There were no words that either of them could say that would make the discomfort go away. Bar of soap in hand he lathered the cloth in white suds, eyes stuck on her immobile body. Tongue peeking out from his lips, both hands tended to doing what she hadn't. Gentle glides of the soapy cloth swirled and scrubbed at her skin. Receiving no help from Meryn, he held out her arm dragging the cloth from her trembling shoulder down to the hand limp in his grasp. Once finished he sought out to do the same with the other to completion. His other hand grazed over the toasty skin covered in suds spreading the lather with the palm of his large hand. The hand made gentle circles across her chest as it slowly rose and fell in shallow breaths. Fingers trailed down over her breasts, gripping at her waistline while tending to scrubbing the second appendage. Lip bitten he tried not to be aroused.  
  
Bathed and washed in silence, Meryn's mouth continuously tugged into a frown. Seeing the slight shade of purple through her hair that differed from its own bleached artificial color. Brown eyes fell on the bruising at his ribs, his skinny stature had no doubt taken a beating. Traveling up, she noticed the bruising at his throat; black, purple, and blue with the slightest shade of red; looking much like a galaxy with its own star intricate star system. Shaken, she shuddered in self-hatred under his soothing touch, wanting no more comfort. Only pain was deserved. Slowly the hair covering her eyes was parted by his fingers and she was forced to look him in the eyes. Eyes full of emotion looked down at her with unease, they narrowed focusing on the new swelling on her forehead. "When did tha' happen?",he asked pushing her hair back. "Hm?",he nudged at her form a tad bit impatient when she still didn't answer. "Did yew do tha' t'yerself?",he frowned fingers grasping her cheeks. Lips parted, Meryn struggled to for words, looking off to the right avoiding his question.  
  
No matter, her eyes kept returning to his mouth. Teeth chattering in annoyance, it suddenly came to a stop and he leaned forward out of the rain with a stern judging glint in his eyes. "Got somefing yew wan' t'say?",he inquired with bitterness lining his tone. Large hands remained where they were, holding her head nowhere to escape. Meryn whimpered, lips parting to reveal the dried blood along her bottom row of teeth. "Can you hit me?",she asked suddenly, voice creaking as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Wha'...", he released her face, one blocky brow raised in alarm,"No..."   
  
"Why?",she asked.  
  
"I'm not gunna hit a gerl."  
  
"If you could, would you?",she rearranged the question.   
  
"It wuldn't fix nuthin. Besides I'm nawt tha' type of guy."  
  
  
Silent, she fell again. If he wouldn't punish her somehow, how was she supposed to make it up to him? Without much thought, she got on her knees in front of him. Dark eyes followed her, widening in surprise a bit. Inches from her face, redemption stared. Sorrowful eyes trailed up the entirety of his body, eyeing the angles and tone of a wiry build somewhat defined by an adequate amount of mass. The further up she traveled the more definition his body had. Beige pasty skin and subtle blue hairs in the center of his pecs. Long capable arms hung by his sides. Finally, brown eyes met black one's buggy with several questions but mouth tight in a straight line. Ruefully she grinned exposing all her teeth, eyes in a squint. Pink tongue extended, it flicked curiously at the manhood becoming engorged before her. The entirety of his length felt the soft palate of Meryn's oral muscle grazing along the hardened shaft and lapping at the base as well as the pair of azure hair sprinkled mounds.  
  
His face scrunched a bit, mouth now ajar as words failed to be said in time, released a dazed sigh instead. Into the warmth of her mouth he went, with a low grumbling shudder. The rapidly growing member now sticking out right into the back of her throat. In between her tongue and the firm roof of her mouth she moved swallowing and sliding the manhood back and forth. Through her parted lids he appeared to be fighting himself on giving in. "Ah...", he panted lightly staring her down with a warming but indecisive look in his eyes. Lashes batting she continued, disregarding the inconsistent expressions he wore. From pleasured, to unsure, to disagreeing and back to loving the way she sucked him off. Tip colliding with the back of her throat she gagged, tiny mewls of discomfort escaped but she wouldn't give up from here. "H-Hey--",2D stuttered watching her in a harsh squint,"Yew don' need t'do that."  
  
The words went ignored and she latched on harder, he went stumbling back towards the walls that surrounded them. "Mmh-Ah-'kay," he struggled through his teeth, a hand in her hair attempted to pull her away. Even if just for a moment, he wanted to tell her this didn't need to happen. The sweet mouth that had him made so impossible. Way too good a feeling to put forth effort in making a point. Under the falling droplets of water again, Meryn flinched but continued tending to the twitching cock between her lips as it occupied her mouth. Water showered; droplets streaming down her face and rivers forming in the valley of her breasts. Long hair swung back and forth sticking to his thighs as she put her all into the action. Her own thighs collected water at her vulva, eventually spilling over into the tub as her backside rounded out in a kneel. A moan rung through the humidity, and his head tilted backwards out of the falling drops.  
  
Like a woman possessed she aggressively went at it causing his misstep and fumbling against the wall. No escape, 2D's back collided against it, imperfect teeth clenched upon impact. A firm hand pressed against his shallow belly, bobbing in elongated strides warranting a more audible moan to come breaking through the rainfall in another heated pant. The other hand grasped at his bony hip and Meryn pressed hard burying him way in the back of her throat. A hitch and buck forward came without warning. Eyes squeezed shut his head leaned against in a tilt against the wall. "Tis t-too gud," his pitch fluctuated from low in base to the airy cockney drawl. Soft lips pillowed each wave forward, rendering 2D a bit powerless. Fingers flinching and trembling by his side, he couldn't bring himself to make her stop. Faster and further her mouth beckoned him tugging the flesh with mind-boggling suction. "Mmh-Meryn...", his hips wound forward on their own accord pushing back at her. His fingers were made busy and occupied diving into her hair taking caressing handfuls in his grasp and the other hand sliding along her outstretched neck possessively driving her forward by the underside of her chin.  
  
Warm chocolatey eyes melted as they opened to bask in some sort of rectification. Everything about her attempt was ridiculously warm and addicting. Too addicting. Black orbs shot back to watch. A sweet but saddening look in her eyes shined back at him as they took turns; Meryn's own servicing and 2D's thrusting back to meet her before she could draw back. "Aaauh," he sounded beginning to hum in encouragement. Biting his lip, he tried to control his breathing, panting out it increased into a consistent labored moan. There was nothingness. Just the feeling drawing him in, and Meryn's warm wet mouth closing in around him. Whether he thought it was a bad idea or not, he was unraveling. With a fistful of hair, 2D's head rolled around against the wall as he moaned out a stifled warning,"Gunna...I'm gunna..."  
  
It happened sooner than he thought it would. Eyes in a tight squint he could just barely make out Meryn's face focusing on where he throbbed and disappeared rhythmically into her warmth. "Mmh!", he gasped feeling the expulsion of his strained twitching blue haired base. A fluttery orgasm took place, despite the way he burst and filled up her mouth. The most confusing ejaculation perhaps ever had, 2D's cock oozed bitter warmth in the back of her throat. He shakily took in a deep breath, opening his eyes to the girl gone shy still with a nice mouthful of 2D in between her pursed lips. Brown almond eyes shut as she brought herself to swallow. His flesh pulsated in response as her throat came to a close and tugged at his length. It was indeed white hot with sensitivity but he still pushed back clenching his teeth through too much stimulation.  
  
Gulping he sighed long and drawn out, removing her from his manhood. He bounced free still twitching against her lower lip. "L-Lay down real quick?",he asked clearing his throat. "N-No wait. Bend ova'?",he changed his mind last minute kneeling down somehow fitting his long legs within the limited space. Meryn silently did so, turning herself around on all fours. Drenched hair flung heavy along her spine as her back went to an immediate accommodating arch, over her shoulder the man decorated with beading sweat and shower water loomed in behind. All of a sudden, barely any drops were hitting her, in place his bony frame pressed against her back as he wordlessly entered and stretched out her sleeve. Thighs close together, the canal was even tighter than usual. Noticed immediately by the both of them, the difference in sensation was baffling. Silent her mouth opened into an 'O' on just the first thrust that filled her up completely.  
  
"Aaah-Ah~",2D ground back and forth panting against her neck and she fell forward a bit to her elbows. The water parted at his neck as the rivers traveled the length of his torso; ass up the slope of her back bent in a U-like arch, Meryn's breasts pressing against the caulked surface in the pit of the tub. Hand grasping the back of her neck he held himself steady, on one knee thrusting into the pink heat, the other knee perched as he widened the range by the opening of his legs. A steady slap began at each collision with her backside, splashing water that fell in between them. Pasty skin met toasted light brown and made magic exist. Jabs forward engulfed him inside her, beautifully knocking the air out of her lungs. Gasping on each punch at her walls, Meryn moaned out in a shrill whimper. He complied yanking her arms backwards deadset on making her speak, moan, whine, or say anything. Arms behind her back her cheek against the tub and teeth clenched she was railed. High pitched squeaks and nonsensical moans of delight powered out from her teeth full of aggression.  
  
Suddenly brought in another direction, 2D lifted her up, all the hair that gathered down her back mashed in between their bodies. Upright on her knees, she moaned out pounded into with a harshness that strangely gave her the punishment she was looking for. Then flung over the edge of the tub, 2D swept the entire curtain out of their way bending her over the rounded edge. Palms on the bathmat, half Meryn's body bridged outside of the tub. Powerful earth shattering thrusts slammed into her backside, powered by the force of his hips rocking forth. Bunches of hair slid forward at the incline of her spine hanging freely from her shoulders, the ends flying along with rhythm he'd set. "Ahnn," she moaned arms buckling under the weight looming in from above.   
  
"Mmh--There yew are," he beamed burying himself deeper,"Lemme hear moar..."  
  
Relentless a pounding beat the ever-loving fuck out of her womanhood. Hands grasping at her hips and bringing everything slamming inside. 2D lifted one of her trembling legs onto the edge. The little slit exposed and spread at their parting, taking a beating from behind. The second pair of lips blooming; accommodating his rock hard erection and flashing variations of rosy pink. "F-Fuck", he exclaimed amused of how easy it was to get lost in her loving walls. "AaaGHH!",Meryn fell forward, her own leg out of her control and held for his convenience. He was getting what he wanted. In his grip her body quaked and shook squirming about as she lost herself.   
  
"Unh!"  
  
In the midst of it all she somehow ended up outside the tub. Held on the floor in place as her other leg was raised and consequently made her fall. It didn't matter to either of them. 2D simply hoisted them with both arms and sought out to make her pussy squeal. Ass and vulva mashed against the outside of the tub he never stopped slamming into her. Back bent and lower stomach at the base of the basin, her breasts pressed against the bathmat. A nice handful of her rounded bottom, he watched her hole occupied and basked in more rapture unable to keep himself from moaning at the sight alone as her walls claimed and begged for more. In a panic she shrieked on cue, voice reverberating within the bathroom's walls.   
  
"PLeeeaaassSSE", belted out against the floor from below, her entire body jerking about.   
  
"Mmmkay", he halfway laughed leaning forward along the curve of her back panting into the hair that separated at her neck. Wet skin on wet skin she was fucked endlessly as he joined her, broad shoulders rolled and lengthy arms extended to the floor along both sides of her head. She looked back as best she could humming and cooing; eyes glossy and lips parted in never-ending surprise. Skin smacked together, the only bit of 2D that still remained from where they started was his half his leg length. Calves tensing as he teetered back and forth somehow into her at an angle never achieved before. His knobby knees heavy against the edge of the rounded tub seemed to defy physics and he stayed steady thrusting into her. An impossible speed jackhammered into her, warranting the screech of a lifetime to come sullied with overwhelmed cries. "AHHHHNnnnnn", she sobbed hysterically screaming through her teeth. Eyes clamped shut and fluttered open again in teary desperation.  
  
Tears welled and overflowed against the floor. Meryn lost in her own melodic bliss whined and cooed gone completely mad. "fffFFUCK",2D hissed in response feeling the same white-hot fire burn and bubble up from within as it traveled up from its source and threatened to erupt into her fertile walls. "D!", she drew out the single letter in a gut-wrenching cry, hands grabbing for anything to hold onto. "IwahnaCUMinyewsobahd!",his voice fluctuated in a feverish warble. Her body tensed up, only silent for a moment before her fall from the tip of the mountaintop came to a sharp girlish scream. His threat was met and challenged by her walls clenching and quaking around him. In a staggering hurry, 2D shuddered removing himself and stroking himself to completion just a seconds before he gushed waves at her ripened anatomy that deviously tried to fulfill its purpose in claiming the hundreds of thousands of cells welled up in his betraying orgasm. Just in time, he avoided the creation of another child being born in ill-gotten circumstances.  
  
He fell forward holding onto her back shuddering and tensing against her as the second set of fireworks let loose and drizzled onto the floor below. Waves kept coming, the ejaculation twitching and alive on its own overflowing and bubbling over onto her back. "HOLy shIeT!",2D belted out at the continued bursts taking place in between them. Cheek against her shoulder he panted out of control into her ear as she trembled giggling hysterically. The sound of the continued shower came back to consciousness as he finally fell completely out of the tub. In a split second he guided her into a different position at the foot of the bathtub ignoring the running water once more. Turned over on her side, the woman was beyond dazed and not all there mentally. Only moans and coos were sufficient communication the rest was nonsense. Somehow he wasn't completely drained of energy. Shaky and staggering he pinned both of her wrists together to the side, his aqua colored hair dripping water from above.   
  
2D's heart was practically beating outside the limitations of his chest. Quickly one hand nudged at her right leg molding and spreading them for another go. The leg folded over his arm and he hooked her in place between his bicep and forearm. "I-I hafta b-be inside yeww," he stuttered sporadically pushing back into her. She hadn't the chance to come down from her high and she didn't wish to. Right back to the grind, she went weak, body controlled and toyed with. His personal cock sleeve to be used to completion. The same inane silly moans sounded and broke her voice. Throat dry and going hoarse in dehydration she still managed to sound exude sex with the reverberation of her strained vocal cords. The second he was sheathed back inside her it took his breath away. Against his better judgment, he'd given in to the carnal desire that nagged and complained until he was stuffing himself shamelessly into the woman, broken and physically assaulted by Murdoc not even an hour ago. The pain he endured taking the rest of the beating from the green master manipulator didn't matter at the moment even when sharp stabbing pain at his bruised ribs was tearing him apart.  
  
Only the urge to be on another planet with this sorrow-inducing mess of a woman and ready to take them both to a better place. It wasn't right. Every intelligent part of his being screamed it back at him as he built back up the seminal pressure for release. "Tch!",through narrow voids he watched her unable to look away. Legs all over the place and squirming around they wrestled on the floor just a few short minutes before he was ready to cum once more. He hunched forward an impossibly harsh hold on her restricted thigh, fucking the tight little hole just begging to be used up. "Unh-ffuCK!", he shouted with his entire body tensed, an unfortunate wave of sperm releasing inside her just once before he swore again unloading the rest onto her tightly wound stomach. The third cumshot in a row, it pooled at the shallow portions of her stomach. "I-I'm sorry!",2D cried wrapping his arms around her, still grinding against her body with the ending orgasm in absolute disgust with himself. "GODDAMMIT!",he collapsed atop her tears falling down to her cheek. A single angry fist pounded into the floor with impressive force, scaring Meryn to attention.  
  
Her eyes went wide not conscious enough to realize what had happened. The man shook crying against her damp skin. "I din't mean it! I din't mean it...!", came repeated over and over into her ear. "N-No!",she begged choked up for reasons unknown,"Why're you apologizing to me?!" Pathetic and lowly, their bodies intertwined by legs and arms as they simultaneously broke down. "Please stop crying D!", she pleaded,"I'll listen! I'll swallow my pride--Just--PLEASE!" A hyperventilating cry and wail tore her apart below, no fight left she went completely limp simply laying there in his arms sobbing like a helpless child. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!",she bucked not deserving to be held. "No! Stoppit Kat!",he whimpered and overpowered her with a tight embrace that rendered her limbs useless. "Please don't leave me", she gave up, voice breaking. 2D lifted himself off her, and was made the shell of a man in the wake of his lover's undisguised anguish. "I'm nawt...I'm nawt!",he tried to compose himself for her sake. Voids staring her down, he promised what he was unsure of. It didn't matter as long she stopped crying!  
  
She was far beyond how broken and unbalanced he'd perceived her to be. An absolute mess of a person and yet, through all the fuck ups and problems she unintentionally brought, 2D STILL found himself unworthy of the love someone like Meryn felt. Normally too proud to cry or let herself be weak; he recalled her always locking herself away or refusing to look at him while in this state. All of a sudden, the over the top avoidant behavior made sense. He was upset before with her failure to do what she said she would, but nothing compared to how far gone things had gotten. To top it off, the already failure of a father that he was bound to fail Meryn as well if she had indeed become pregnant by this shitty encounter. He should've stopped her from getting on her knees to appease him. He should've stopped himself from making matters worse and going against the safe minded protocol they'd done for the past few months without a contraceptive. "Shhh", he quieted her with a kiss that smothered her into a catatonic state.  
  
At long last, he lifted himself up completely looking down at the woman gone silent, white drops and globs all over. Hair a mess and eyes finally calmed. A hand extended pulling her to her feet, she staggered a bit winded and faint all of a sudden. 2D caught her before she could fall back down, holding her head against his heaving chest,"I got ya." She blinked, lashes tickling his skin whispering a prayer,"I hope...you still love me."  
  
"I do, I do...", he reassured stroking her matted hair gone cool with collected water droplets falling from the dampened waves. For once, part of him meant this. Some part of 2D did love Meryn, but it was still beyond his comprehension. Maybe it was the possibility of new life? Or maybe his feelings had finally evolved into something real? No matter, such a strong woman had become weak before him and 2D had every intention of holding on if it meant she wouldn't mentally leave him again. If it brought her back to the sarcastic warm person he loved to be around, he'd take this situation by the reigns and do what he could in captivity. "Come on Meryn", he murmured with a sniffle walking her out of the bathroom. The shower still running had gone cold and made the air chilly in all the time wasted. The both of them definitely needed to shower now that they'd rolled around on the floor, but for now he just needed to be in control of something  
  
Hands on her shoulders he guided her out wrapping an older towel around her body as she shivered in the cool air. The door opened releasing the humidity into their room. "Awright darling...",2D wiped his nose shirking off the chills that broke out across his skin. Quiet and embarrassed Meryn stared at the floor sniffling. "Were you crying because of those bruises...?", she asked in a hoarse whisper. "Oh...", he guessed this to be the reason why she'd been apologizing. Honestly. He'd forgotten in lieu of a pregnancy scare. "No...",he answered with a defeated sigh,"There was anotha reason..."  
  
Meryn's gaze fell on him weakly wondering what he meant by that,"What do you mean?"  
  
  
"Um...well--"  
  
The sudden clanking announced the arrival of something falling through the chute. Blue damp hair swung with his inquiring swivel to the metal chute, just in time for its contents to be made apparent. Two little boxes fell onto the floor along with a little bottle of orange liquid. A note floated down shortly after with the thud of what appeared to be a McDonald's bag. 2D blinked twice trying to be sure of what it was he was seeing. Meryn's eyes followed his and dropped to the carpet where the boxes lay.  
  
_Plan B Emergency Contraceptive and a prescription grade birth control, Norethindrone._  
  
It didn't need to be said anymore, what the problem was. The problem was swimming around inside her. Sheepish he rubbed the back of his head, averting his gaze from her direction instead focusing on the actual sustenance in the fast food bag. As long as it wasn't a bag of chips he was happy to see it. A little smile began to tug at his lips in relief, as he was able to breathe easy. In question, a large brow rose picking up the folded piece of notebook paper. The paper was taken from his fingers before he'd the chance to unfold it and wound up in her shaking hands. Also quaking were her knees knocking together in a confused panic. Eyesight wavering she squinted struggling to read Murdoc's handwriting. The edge of her glasses peeked into her peripheral, courtesy of 2D. She nodded unable to thank him correctly or speak until she knew for certain what this act of godsend was. Glasses unfolded and slid behind her ears, her sight cleared. An immediate snort burst from her lips upon reading the note.  
  
'That was the best-worst shagging I've ever seen you two perform. Less tears, more pulling out on time. I can't have you fucking up my plans with another unplanned pregnancy you sodding dope. I stole some pharmacy grade birth control so hold off on the baby making until you're both out of my sight so you can be miserable together. Until I need 2D again I mean. The cold medicine is for the cold you lot are both bound to get, and the food is so you don't pass out. I take care of my pets, regardless of how you see me. Aye Ryn?'  
  
'Love, Murdoc Niccals'  
  
It was a special kind of pretentious to sign it with his star quality autograph, but as bizarre as it was to attempt and go back to normal with the two of them was, it brought an inexplicable twinkle to her eye. 2D sauntered off turning off the shower for the time being. "How nioce...",he called out,"Wants me vocals t'sound gud so he drops medicine off..." Shrugging into a heavy towel he sighed again sifting through the bag of food once he returned to the chute,"Ah well...least this couf syrup is orange flavoured...plus we got somefing otha' than crisps in 'ere..."


	43. Principles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and make ups.

Back against the low bed frame, 2D sat legs apart to accommodate the body between them. Her back to his chest, the rhythm of his heartbeat tapped against her bare skin. The both of them, still as naked as they were in last hour. Crumpled McDonalds bag balled up and thrown at the garbage bin, it missed bouncing off the accumulation of rubbish and back onto the carpeted floor. Long damp hair received a much needed combing from the man who put this job on his shoulders, 2D sectioning off portions of lengthy strands as he'd seen her do many times before. Knees to her chest, Meryn sat quietly, hair being tugged and ridden of the knots as gently as he could. Heart shaped chin resting atop the caps of her knees she stared off at the far wall, transfixed by his shadowed movements that stretched out from behind her. Afraid to put too much weight against him, for fear of leaning onto one of the purple bruises, Meryn leaned forward as much as possible. Still the man paid no mind, leaning forward when he needed to or throwing a bundle of completed de-tangled hair over her shoulder before moving onto the next.   
  
"Ol' most done...," he breathed out in exhaustion,"Yew've got so much hair."  
  
Other than this utterance, it was the most either of them has said since taking a moment to calm themselves. Wrestling around on the bathroom floor in their conditions was a waste of the energy they didn't have. By the grace of Murdoc or God, they'd been spared a 9 month period of regret and fed like the barn animals they were. Meryn immediately swallowed the bitter pill. Somewhat saddened but relieved of not being a mother at such a horrible point in her life. 2D had distracted himself no doubt, instead taking it upon himself to fix her hair and avoiding the obvious bullet they'd just dodged.   
  
"Mmkay...fink I got em ol' out."  
  
Long fingers combed through dropping his own trusty flick comb to the side, occupying himself with a last-minute quality check. Through and through the sections of locks fell along her shoulders, until his hands took interest in grasping her delicate waist. Meryn jumped a little at the tickling sensation that dragged on just under the cage of her ribs until both hands found each other and laced together at the woman's middle. The lanky bony body pressed forth for a weak embrace. Head tilting against hers, 2D sighed, a breath warming the back of her neck. "Thank you," she mumbled into her knees after awhile of uncomfortable silence. "Yer welcome," came replied in another warm burst. The padding of fingers aimlessly tapped away along her skin to the tune of some melody he'd randomly thought up in his head. Over and over the series of taps were repeated in rapid succession.  
  
"'Hm, I fink I got an idea f'new song..."  
  
Meryn sighed heavily, straightening up from the defeatist position she'd been hanging her head in. "I don't know where to go from here," bluntly left her lips. At a loss himself, 2D ceased the tapping loosening the embrace and dropping his hands by his sides. Black eyes flickered over to the flick comb containing strands of violet hair wrapped around each spaced tooth. "Y-Yew lost a gud bit, but I fink it'll grow back wiff tiome...Plus ya still got a gud head of hair t'work wiff," he reassured in a ramble. "That's not what I meant D," Meryn murmured stretching out her long legs,"Are we going to pretend that none of this happened?"   
  
Puzzled by her words, 2D shrank a bit,"It did happen, but I'm nawt real happy wiff how it turn't out in tha end." Thinking for a moment he pursed his lips in search of the words that he wanted to voice,"Meryn, are yew...sad bout havin' t'take tha pill?" Leaning back, her head fell lightly on his blocky shoulder. Eyes closed, she feared opening them and seeing the hollow black eyes looking down at her. "A little," she winced at the truth leaving her lips,"But it's for the best." 2D frowned, making a mental note of the sadness that tugged the corners of her mouth. "Mmhm",he hummed in agreement. "Plus, yew culd do bettah than a deadbeat dad", rolling his eyes, he tried to smile. But, the smile instantly faded once Meryn's brown eyes reopened glaring with a less than amused raise of a single brow. Retreating, he shrank further, his hands flying to cover his embarrassment. "You make it sound like you'd abandon me too, D", she forced a painfully fake laugh lifting her head.   
  
"Just kidding,"Meryn shrugged off the uncomfortable question, not really wanting an answer after all. A confirmation of his disloyalty would only make things worse. The fake laughter continued as she eventually rose to her feet, locks swung over her shoulders and down her back in a sudden turn to look back at him. "Still, I'd be happy having a kid with a guy like you!" A disturbingly sweet smile greeted him through the webbing of his fingers. "Y-Yeah a guy loike m-me...,"2D stuttered, awkwardly nodding along whilst averting his gaze. "Heh," she chuckled crossing arms over her bare chest,"I won't ask why you can't look at me seriously...but I will clarify my reasoning." Leaning forward the same false smile greeted him, this time with the addition of her tongue peeking out through her lips. "I know you didn't ask, but I'm gonna tell you anyway!", Meryn announced sing-song, becoming increasingly more animated the longer the one-sided conversation was drawn out.  
  
Swinging back and forth on her heels, she puckered her lips trying to fool herself into thinking she could be indifferent. "I almost had a kid before...",she said as flat as she could staring at his extended long feet in her peripheral. Toes curled uncomfortably at her words, coming together at the inward twist of his legs. The palms of his hands gently placed on the carpet as he began to silently curse himself, head lowered and staring at the flaccid male organ in between his legs that had been the source of trouble over the years. Disgusted 2D closed his legs bringing his knees forward to sulk. Abnormally long arms folded over the knobs as he brought his head to rest against the surface he'd created. "But it shouldn't have been made, so...it had to go,"Meryn's shoulders fell a bit for a moment before shooting back up to maintain her stony appearance.  
  
"Whaddya mean?",2D mumbled a question against his arms,"Yew got rid of it?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"...",he wasn't sure what to say and struggled to find anything appropriate to respond with. Instead, he blurted out his simple thoughts,"So then why'd yew want miones so bad?" It sounded bad leaving his careless lips. Immediately he cringed at his own presumptions, suddenly digging into the blue hair that had air dried in its drooped appearance. "That's easy," she shrugged off his ineptitude,"Because with you I've always had a choice." Meryn thought to herself for a moment biting her lip,"It's like a do-over ." Wry, she sauntered around the small space, distracting her troubled mind with movement. "I always thought the first time I'd get pregnant would be beautiful....like a fairy tale or something", she rambled on with a dismissive flick of the wrist. "But the entire time I knew **that** man's child was growing inside me, I abso-fucking-lutely hated it", bitter tone and all, Meryn meant it. "It was like having an alien parasite living inside me. It was innocent, but I never wanted it or asked it to be there...", she softened, feeling quite horrible for what she'd done and how it required little decision making to do it.  
  
"Anyway,"nervous laughter fluttered within the walls of the room,"You've been so nice...I really wouldn't mind if it was you. Even if you were a dead beat to me, at least the child wouldn't be a product of...rape."  
  
"F'course nawt, I'd never be able t'do somefing loike tha'...Tha' werd... **rape**... it's a ugly one."  
  
Shaking his head he tried to put the thought out of his mind. 2D's upper lip snarled in disgust,"Sowwy yew had t'do wot yew did, I'm nawt blamin' yew." Arms unfolded, he stood up suddenly. Hands stretched up at the ceiling grazing against the surface as his bones settled. "I-I'm sorry," Meryn randomly apologized fidgeting and picking at the split skin of her bottom lip. "How come?",he asked raising a brow, his mouth curved into a confused and puzzled frown. "It was probably too much information, and you didn't ask...", she trailed off, her own brows furrowed as the confidence she had dissipated and was replaced with self-consciousness.  
  
"It's kewl wiff me,"2D managed to grin, a bit of life returning to his desolate face. A couple steps forward and he was standing directly in front of her panicky form. His lightly haired chin rested at the top of her head, freshly combed locks cushioning its placement. A dorkish snicker reverberated along his growing smile at the benefits of her height,"I loike tha' yew're so honest, even when it's embarrassin' or somefing." As he spoke, the weight of his own head bobbed up and down comically bouncing against Meryn's skull. "I also loike tha' yer so tall. Can't do this wiff anyone else!",snickering tapped against her cranium, the vibrations in his cheeky drawl heavy and fuzzy in Meryn's ears.  
  
Half smiling, her eyes rolled,"You're a big doofy giant."   
  
"Pfffkhhhh",2D stifled at the passive-aggressive remark that breathed against his collarbone. Soon he found himself wholeheartedly laughing in her hair,"Wuts tha' s'pposed t'mean?!" Taking a step back, he grasped her shoulders tilting his head a just a touch for eye contact. The gleefully cheesy gapped tooth grin rained down upon her, with the voids narrowing in high spirits. Lips bitten to hell, pooched out with a forcefully sour look, almond eyes squinting at the brightness of his warming smile while resisting the urge to squeal with the new life that had been breathed into her with a single effortless look. Things were complicated, but she loved him nonetheless.  
  
Proof of her love came delicately against his lips. The least Meryn could do is return the warmth he'd bathed her in. A rather soft connection with each pair of tattered lips clung together with longing. A dreamy sigh hummed back at her in response made poetic by the way 2D pressed back with a tenderness that came thoughtfully and with much consideration. Overtaken by the comfort of their wordless conversation, she no longer cared how sappy or cliche the feeling was. Not a care in the world as her arms eagerly hung wrapped around his neck or an ounce of fear that prevented just how much she loved him from being expressed. Tighter her arms pulled as her body came in contact with his. Chest to chest, middle to middle, and laced together by her arms and 2D's traveling hands along the small of her delicate back.  
  
No tongue. No desperation or sexual desire.  
  
Only contentment and momentary perfection achieved in their world cut off from to anyone outside the promise filled embrace. The need to breathe eventually outweighed being attached at the mouth, and she drew away just a few millimeters from his lips that parted to flash a small doting smile. The warm expression went unnoticed, far too lost in starless space to flick her eyes down for the mouth she needed to be connected to. Happy to be spinning in the dark pools, Meryn looked on starry-eyed and filling his voids with the cosmic dazzle that had been missing.   
  
"I love you."  
  
Meryn watched his eyes widen a tad, then mellow out into a heavy-lidded seriousness. He backed away an inch or two head lowered with a shy bumbling look on his face. "Wha' makes yew so sure Kat?",he mumbled contemplating whether or not he wanted to be heard. The answer came quickly and confidently,"You make life worth living." Three different shades of red brought color to his pale face. "Wow," he sighed bashfully removing his hands from along her back and bringing them back to smack against his swelling cheeks. "R-Really?",he said to himself under his breath. "Made me blush!",2D chuckled giddily with an irreplaceable doofy smile smashed between his broad hands. "Hehe,"eyes rolling, she shook her head at the dopey display, loving every bit of it. But she couldn't help but notice he hadn't returned it. Awkwardly Meryn thought she'd wait a moment swaying from side to side arms held behind her back, but nothing came. Oblivious as always, 2D blinked his smile lessening as his head teetered from one side to the next.   
  
"Love yew too Kat."  
  
It came to her surprise, brows rising and mouth wrenching in a considering stupor like pout. "Fhought I wasn't gunna sayit didya?",he snickered. Broad shoulders jauntily bounced in amusement as he leaned forward having fooled her. He held his arms close to his chest folded neatly atop each other with both hands hanging off either side. Lower lip bitten, 2D's slender form exuding a silly confidence with his chest puffed up and lungs full of air. Meryn smirked,"I did..." The smirk muted. He was 2D. A sweetheart. Her lover and best friend. So why did she get a bad vibe? Shoulders heightened and nerves took over, the doubt nagging away in her head. "D?", she started, falling silent immediately after. "Mmyeah?",he answered without a care in the world, long arms now held overhead in a bow at the base of his neck. All the nerves and fears ate away at her whilst staring at the man. Deep breath taken, Meryn swallowed the lump growing in her throat and asked,"How do you know if you love me?"  
  
He blinked once. Then twice. On the third, his head tilted up for the ceiling, all his aqua hair being pushed back at the placement of his shaking hand. "Uhm well...", he struggled tapping away at his forehead. Here it was, the question he had no answer to. 2D's eyes shut tight trying to think of something to say before his extended silence became even more of hassle to fix. "Y-Yew--I-...", he stuttered, noisily grunting at each painful halt. "I'm n-not..Yew know I--I'm nawt much gud at explainin' it....", finally his head fell forward, looking into her panicking eyes. "It's jus tha' I dunno how t'word it, I love tons of stuff bout yew!",he spoke quickly from secondhand panic trying to save face. "Shuld I make a list?!",2D scrambled in her all seeing eyes. Meryn opened her mouth to speak, but he was already off throwing things around in search of a piece of paper and writing utensil. Into the garbage bin, he dug around shrugging off the disgust of partially rotting food bits until he found a single crumpled up napkin.  
  
Not too dirty or too clean, he unraveled it standing up to his feet. Jittery and a trembling mess, 2D staggered from corner to corner of the room in search of the pen he'd been writing with days prior. His skeletal body bent and twisted about with urgency, dropping to his knees looking underneath the bed, then back to his feet with no regard of covering up his bony backside or the soft man parts that sat dangly and shrunken in the cool drafty air. Brown eyes followed his every move gradually becoming amused with his clumsy efforts, she needn't move from the spot she stood or do anything but watch. The twink bodied man on stilts became increasingly pressured, too afraid to catch her gaze.  
  
"AH!",he shouted.  
  
Handheld high, a dull pencil was successfully found under a pile of his own dirty clothes. In a fit of joy the dull point stabbed into the ceiling, raining down bits of plaster to the wilting man below. He shrunk a little in embarrassment but recovered quickly eyeing the dull piece of graphite that fell to the carpet. For the floor he darted, grasping the little cylinder in between two fidgeting fingers,"GAWT'IT!" Then taking two hurried long-legged steps, 2D smoothed out the napkin against the pillar that jutted from the floor to ceiling. Back and forth in silence, the only sound being the scratchy old napkin. Held so tight it started to tear. He gasped, holding up the torn napkin delicately,"SHIET!" The show went on and on. A dry-humored comedy to a tear wrenching romance. "Jus gimme a sec!",he shouted over his shoulder, hastily beginning to scribble on the white surface held back against the metallic pillar.  
  
"Uh lemme fink...pwetty."  
  
He jotted it down.  
  
"Moi best frand."  
  
He jotted it down.  
  
Pausing he looked up at the ceiling trying to think of other words to describe her. It came to him in a comical performance. "OOOh yeaaaaah!",he yelled to himself head nodding in agreement with his idea.  
  
"Witty...strong...yew stick up f'me...uhhhh."  
  
Over his shoulder he glanced at her, still standing in the same spot. Hand clasped over her mouth and cheeks full of air. "Hmm," he hummed in thought turning back to write something else down.  
  
"Fit. Very fit."  
  
Meryn sprung forward holding her stomach, hand still clasped over her mouth but failing to withhold laughter. Peeking through her lashes, 2D turned around fully with a slightly bothered look on his face. "S'not funny!", he protested scratching a damp portion of his hair. The contractions of her abs came to an end after pulling painfully hard and earning tears in the corners of her eyes. She sighed wiping her eyes before her vision returned to normal. Thin lips pooched outward in a pout, 2D frowned,"Hmph." With a smile, she hopped forward with a peck placed on his turned cheek. He shrugged not wanting to give in so easily but half smiled as Meryn's lips pressed sweetly to his cold pale face. The touch warmed him from the inside out, and the half smile turned into a shy grin. "Tha's one of the reasons too ya know...", bashfully he leaned into her affection soaking it all up with dumb look on his face. Soft lips left the cool surface and collided with his own. 2D pressed back with a low chuckle. A undeniable fluttery feeling in his chest, this much he knew for sure. Meryn was nice and accepting.   
  
Pulling away for a moment, he took a moment to consider the deep shade of brown gleaming up at him with satisfaction. Unsure of love; he knew for a fact that he liked her a lot and despite the cons she came with, the pros made him feel special. And not in the way Murdoc meant. "I can't do wiffout yew either, Kat", he spoke low, his British drawl rumbly and black eyes fond. Meryn squirmed her heart beating a mile a minute always lost in his eyes before everything became dark again at the reattachment of his lips to hers. Head tilting slightly he nibbled at her plump lower lip, lapping at the open space that resulted. For just a moment oral muscles collided in flicks and suckles ending on a perfect meeting of doting pecks. 2D guffawed at the last peck, clasping his hand over his mouth. "Hm? What?",Meryn inquired half laughing herself. "I woz jus addin' moar moi list bout yew-And in moi head yeah? It jus dawned on me tha yer knockahs HAFTA be high up on the list!",he hissed through his teeth in a full on goofball snicker.   
  
"Wow," she rolled her eyes nudging at him playfully,"I like yours too D."  
  
"Yew makin' fun of me?",2D smirked suddenly covering up his nonexistent chest. "Come on now, Kat. Don't gotta lie t'me...," he murmured puckering his lips, head held high and nose in the air.  "I mean it," she insisted prying his hands away from his chest,"Let me see?" Squirming and resisting, he jokingly put on a show,"Wha's t'see on me?" With a coy grin, Meryn stepped close in close proximity with the man's flat surface. Certainly not a bodybuilder, bony, and the possibility that he had zero body fat.  Playfully she pinched at the little pink tips in the center of his pecs. An instant reaction; his head shot down in both question and surprise. "Pffft!",he cackled with a wide smile, shuddering at the sudden sensation. Clumsily his head bumped into hers, the both of them drawing away with a single hand placed on the afflicted areas. "Thanks for the headbutt," Meryn teased laughing off the awkwardness of the moment.  
  
"Yer welcome."  
  
Another eye roll, from the newly eased woman. Once her eyes landed back on his chest, the feeling began to go away. The galactic art done to his skin was stunningly painful to view. "Are you going to be okay...", she mumbled eyes fleeing in a white hot flash of guilt. "Hm?",he followed where her gaze retreated from down to his own chest. "Well...it hurts a little but,"starting to sway from side to side he returned the question,"Wha' bout yew?" She chuckled trying to shrug off any concern about herself,"I'm fine. My tongue stopped bleeding awhile ago..." Brown eyes full of woe focused on the purple bruises until her vision became blurred with water. "AH-Nononono!",2D proclaimed firmly placing his hands back to her shoulders,"Don' yew go cryin' bout me again!" Meryn grinned wide, flashing pearly whites back at him. The little gap between her front two teeth stuck out like a sore thumb. "Hehe,"he laughed leaning in closer,"Big effort, love but I kno its fake." Sighing 2D's hands glided around and held her close against him. Wincing through the slight stinging pain, he made a point not to make a sound. It would only make her feel worse,"Come on now, love. Chin up, kay?" From side to side he swayed, resting his head against her own. Meryn nodded silently forcing the tears to recede for now. A bit exhausted, he started to yawn,"Besides we gotta showah' proper before either'f us passes out."  
  
With a deep sigh, she murmured against his skin,"We've both been naked this entire time." Sheepishly he chuckled, shaking her head placement with his rumbling laughter,"Yeahhh."  
  
"We're both gonna be sick," she murmured again.  
  
2D groaned, glaring at the cold medicine they'd neglected to take, toppled over forgotten on the carpet,"Oh...yeah..."


	44. Left in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short one, but things are moving along.

Early February 2010  
Point Nemo, Nemo, Plastic Beach  
  
  
Light snoring sounded consistently from her side, with each breath taken a warmth blew against Meryn's neck. The man passed out beside her own fatigued form cuddled close wrapping long appendages possessively around his lover's body. Fingers pressed against the small of her back brought her closer and kept her there in place to be held. Secure and happily floating about on a cloud of their own not much had been bothering them these days. About a month after the entire ordeal that left Meryn and 2D changed individuals, contact with Murdoc or anyone for that matter was scarce. Despite the fact that their overseer hadn't fed either of them in almost a weeks time, the two remained relatively calm. After all what was the purpose of panicking this late in their capture? Sooner or later, the green man would make his presence known, that much was for certain.  
  
Still...  
  
**_THUD THUD_**  
  
A loud unholy noise sounded floors above them, shaking the entire structure of the island. Even where they were trapped, the vibrations of an apparent happening relentlessly shook their little nook. "Hm?",2D stirred a bit, one eye-opening to peek up at the woman in question. "I don't know," Meryn replied warily patting the tufts of blue in as much assurance as she could offer. "Yew fink it's Murdoc?",he asked nuzzling back into his safe place. The man taller in stature huddled closer, burying his face into the soft mounds. Against her chest, he sighed shrugging off whatever the noise was in an attempt to return to his peaceful slumber. "I'm not sure...," she whispered, keeping her volume low. On her back, Meryn fully opened her eyes aimlessly petting the spiky hair that sprung up where he lay his head. The rising and falling of her breaths lulled him off rather easily and the curious fingers playing with his hair brought sighs of content sounding at the valley of her breasts.  
  
He was off again, gone unconscious the weight of his body relaxed against her own. His own form comforting as it lay halfway upon her lax position. The light of his cell phone teetering on the edge of the mattress finally went black shrouding the room in total darkness. The only source of light, was the beautiful hue of blue that peeked from beyond the curtain that separated them from the whale parked just outside their port window. It was daytime, the 5th day since food had come plunging down their feeding chute. Meryn pouted, her features twisting with concern for the extended silence of being unbothered for days on end. "Something's wrong...", she murmured to herself, brown eyes flickering down to be sure she hadn't woken the man low on energy. Time was ticking away, already February it was only a matter of weeks before she would age another year. In just two months after, it would make an entire year that she was held captive here with 2D. In the month of May, he'd be 32, and in June was Coachella.  
  
Finally. They'd be traveling around again come June. With the Plastic Beach tour about to begin in some months, their freedom was within sight. And while Meryn hated being held here, she loved that she got to spend every waking moment with the one she adored. It was a sick thing to be fond of, but she'd given up on healthy living for the time being. Maybe when decisions were her own again she'd take the time to consider the basis of their relationship. But as it stood now, she was content.  
  
_**THUD THUD THUD**_  
  
2D jumped up in question head whipping from side to side,"Wha' IS tha'?!"  
  
Meryn followed suit sitting up along with him, eyeing the cell phone as it finally fell over the edge and onto the carpet below.  
  
"Ah!",he panicked reaching out too late to grab it,"Do yew fink it saved the video??"   
  
Brown eyes focused on the man in his briefs, his head tilted in worry and long legs coming inward as he held his knees to his chest. Meryn struggled for words cackling, a slight embarrassment of the video in question. Ever since she'd been made aware of Murdoc's disregard for their privacy, she loosened up her sexual ruling. Considering and up for any kinky thing that 2D mentioned. The latest being video diaries of their sexcapades, and while she remained the shy woman she'd always been, Meryn certainly came to life when the camera of questionable quality was aimed at her. At least, while he was holding it.  
  
"I'm serious!",2D complained,"I got sum real gud angles and everyfing..."  
  
"Hnn..." she rolled her eyes scooting off the edge to stand. On the tips of her toes, with arms stretched up for the low ceiling, her fingers just barely grazed it before they came back to her sides. Over to the light switch, Meryn meandered, simply shooting a look over her shoulder at the man now alert with concern for the wrong things. "Plug it up and check once you let it charge a bit," she answered plainly, eyes narrowing at the large metal door that confined them. Ear against the cold metal, nothing could be heard from the other side. "Whatcha doin?",he chimed from the bed kicking his own long legs over the edge. "Listening...", Meryn murmured a bit too low for him to pick up on.   
  
"Huh? W-Wha'?"  
  
Meryn turned around completely, hair settling along her shoulders and draping over the partial nudity that continuously escaped from such a low scoop of the neck. "You're not worried?",she inquired a brow raising in disbelief. 2D shrugged a little confused,"Bout wha'? Murdoc?" The young woman's head shook from side to side,"No...Not really its just been quiet lately hasn't it?"  
  
"Aside frum the bangin' yew mean?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
His head fell. Both blocky brows furrowing in deep thought. The bed creaked at his weight shifting forward with both large hands grasping the caps of his knees. He'd overheard Murdoc from time to time. Speaking of paranoid bouts for some fictional character in a old folklore. "Well...theres this fing tha' he woz talkin' to,"2D started. Lips pursed, he wracked his brain for a better recall,"I fink...sum fairy tale fing."  
  
"The Boogeyman?"  
  
Narrowed voids went wide, both hands suddenly clasping together. "Rioght! Yeah tha'!",2D nodded attentively as if this solved their problems. "How'd ya know bout tha'?",he wondered aloud aimlessly scratching the stubble under his chin. Meryn frowned,"I saw it on some papers that Murdoc had on his desk..." Unsure of what to make of this, she picked nervously at her lip. 'Maybe it was a code name?', she thought to herself. There wasn't actually some entity that threatened a grown man like Murdoc, all the old stories spoke of abducting children from their beds at night. So what the hell was he actually afraid of?  
  
In silence, he watched her remain frozen at the door. Her earthy toned eyes focused on the carpet below even as the alarming noises continued to sound off around them. "Murdoc--",2D gulped taking a step forward," He said it haz a gas mask, and sum kinda dark cloak..."  
  
"A gas mask?",her eyes shot up having some to some sort of epiphany. "Hey D," she beckoned him closer with wave of her hand,"How'd you end up here again?"   
  
"Murdoc had me gassed. R'membah?"  
  
"Are you sure it was Murdoc and not someone else?"  
  
More confused than ever, 2D scratched the back of his head smoothing the spikes back in place right after,"Whaddya mean?"  
  
Meryn leaned against the metal door, arms folded tight across her chest,"He was here with me when you were abducted, and there's no way he could get from the middle of the South Pacific to Beirut so quickly..." He blinked, having just pondered this himself. The beautiful rustic city in Lebanon he once called home was an entire ocean and continent away, even Murdoc had his physical limitations. "Nao tha' I fink about it...when Murdoc usually kidnaps me he doesn't bover t'pack me away in a suitcase...", caressing his own chin he pouted at the many memories."Usually, chloroform wuld do tha' trick!"  
  
She squinted in annoyance of how normal abduction was for someone like Murdoc, even more so that 2D mentioned it so matter of factly. She shook the thoughts away focusing back on what was important. "I was gassed too, but I heard Murdoc beyond my door when it happened,"back against the wall she slumped in posture. Something about this entire situation wasn't adding up. The moment he knew where 2D was, he had him abducted somehow and all the green man had to do was wait for the poor unsuspecting man to be delivered here. Mouth held tight in a line, it suddenly twisted into a scowl,"Did you see or hear anything before you lost consciousness?"  
  
Fiddling the tips of fingers together, 2D lightly shook his head. Further her mouth wrenched in theory,"What if he paid for someone to kidnap you?" His broad shoulders shrank,"Well, Murdoc nevah pays anyone back. Even if they threaten t'kill him he jus skips town or scams em sum other way..." She considered this, knowing the bassist took pride in his shenanigans. "Has...anyone ever tried to get revenge?",Meryn blurted out eyes suddenly gone wide with terror. 2D stood awkwardly, hand firmly grasping at the wrist behind his back as he played catch up to the situation at hand," I mean yeah but--"  
  
"D,"Meryn anxiously scrambled forward placing her shaky hands atop his shoulders. Immediately he went stiff, mouth scrambled in a long squiggled line,"Y-Yeah?" Her eyes traveled all over the room, rushing from thought to thought until they finally landed on the man directly in front of her. A strange noise buzzed about grabbing the attention of the flabbergasted lanky bodied man, his head swiveled from side to side at a lost of what was going on. "Tha' kinda sounds loike aeroplanes...",2D shivered not feeling so safe anymore. Meryn swallowed a lump that steadily grew in her throat,"Hey. Look at me." Hands gently caressed at his quivering jawline, guiding his sight back down at the slight tilt of his head to focus on her once more. As thoughtful as she could, she offered a kind smile forcing the truth of the matter from her lips,"I think we might be under attack."  
  
Obsidian orbs widened in surprise considering her words. He gulped,"D'ya fink he left us f'dead?" The prominent Adam's apple bobbed along at his hushed inquiry and the imperfect teeth peeking from between his thin lips began to chatter in a panic. Meryn shook her head sternly,"No. No way..." Murdoc was a lot of things. A lot of those things were terrible no doubt, but still... Could he really just leave the two of them here? After all the trouble of finding his esteemed lead singer and keeping him under his thumb for months to record; could he really be capable of cutting his losses and abandoning what he worked so hard for? Buzzing and whirring went on and on, heard even from the depth of their underwater barracks.   
  
She didn't like Murdoc. She wagered to say that she even perhaps hated the green man at this point. But Murdoc loved his band more than he loved himself. In fact, it was Gorillaz that saved him from a life of utter mediocrity in the first place. In all the time she'd gotten to know the most selfish man alive, Meryn knew damn well that Murdoc would sooner die than let anyone get the best of him. "Heh heh," she cackled. A smirk tugged at her serious expression and she shook her head in disbelief of the genuine warm feeling that ensued,"I can't say for sure that he cares what happens to me, but D you're too important."   
  
Taken back, 2D couldn't fathom that possibility. Mind boggled and his head aching with usual pains, he shrugged dismissing it entirely. A hand flew up to rest upon his throbbing temple,"I guess." Sudden shaking came unannounced nearly knocking the both of them off their feet. A surprisingly quick hand extended from his side grabbing her hand before she could stumble backward. Pulled forth, Meryn found herself held balanced against his stature with the single arm instinctively wrapped round her body. "Moi head...", he droned resting his chin atop her head. Groaning howled out and hummed in her hair as he became more riled up in annoyance. In the midst of all the noise, a louder one took over.  
  
A heavy creaking hellishly sounded from beyond the porthole and the little bunker shook swaying from side to side at the impact of something collapsing nearby. Sprung into action, she left the safety of his arm bouncing to the twin bed on her knees. Slowly, Meryn peered under the curtain ignoring the swift sound of legs retreating to the bathroom. The door slammed shut as he barricaded himself inside for the time being. On the tiled floor, 2D sat, a bundle of nerves as he brought an ear to listen at the door.   
  
Her jaw unhinged, leaving her mouth ajar at the sight unfolding outside their only window. A plane in shambles bent and irreparable slowly sank to the dark blue depths below. The wing just barely missed their bunker, the very edge screeching against the 5-inch thick glass that separated them from the ocean. Backwards she flung nearly falling off the small bed,"What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Izzat tha' whale?!", called from the bathroom. The door creaked as he peered out solely in curiosity, black eyes fell on her hanging halfway off the mattress. Chest rising an falling, her heart was practically beating out of her chest. "A plane just sunk", Meryn stuttered allowing herself to drop to the carpet below. "H-Hey!",2D scampered out from refuge seeing the distress clear on her face. Eyes wide with concern remained stuck on the scratch indented onto the glass. "Are yew awright?",he inquired scooting to her side leaning directly into view. A heavy hand patted at her bare thigh, gaining the attention he intended. "Are yew scared Kat?",his eyes softened in attempt to ease her in some way.   
  
Brows furrowed she tried to shrug off such a thing befalling her,"N-No I'm fine."  
  
"Yew sure?"  
  
Into her personal space he leaned, hands placed flat on the carpet, stopping just an inch away from her wavering face. "Hmm," he eyed her closely, voids narrowing into focus at how small her pupils had become. Warm brown irises with sienna toned flecks broadened as her sight accommodated his sudden closeness. Small pointed nose to a wider button nose; he chuckled along a bit playfully,"Boop." Lips brushed against each other as he found humor in Meryn's wide-eyed extended silence. "Don' gotta be scared love," he chirped,"Nawt gonna let nuthin' happen t'ya!"  
  
"Uh huh," she nodded with a teasing smirk. "Didn't you just run off and barricade yourself in the bathroom two minutes ago?"  
  
"Uh!",2D drew back a bit in embarrassment. His form shrank feeling a less than heroic at his obvious cowardice. "It's O.K.," Meryn sighed placing a quick peck on his lips. Sheepish, he blushed a tad lowering his head,"How bout long as its nawt a whale yeah?" Black eyes shot to her in declaration,"Long as its nawt a whale, I'll--I'll bloody kill iht." She chortled,"Wow, that's a bold statement." Arms folded over his chest he nodded quite proud of himself,"Yeah tha's rioght!"   
  
It was a sweet offer, but she doubted there was much he could do when it came to invading planes. The small smile faded at the gravity of their situation. "What're we gonna do D?", she weakly asked the question that neither of them had the answer to. All jokes aside, he had no idea. Meryn was the one he relied on after all. "Iunno..." he softly answered peering over his shoulder to the halfway covered porthole,"At least tha' whale is gone."


	45. Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuationnnnn!

"Hnn," groaned out into the dank South Pacific air, the same old garbage scent wafted into the flared nostrils of the island's founder. A nose broken too many times to resemble a normal physiology remained up in the air, breathing deep the rot and putrid foundation that somehow defied the law physics and never seemed to capsize. Cigarette in hand, Murdoc took in a much needed drag, allowing the cancerous smoke to further clog his already tarred lungs. "Oy, Cyborg," he called over his shoulder in a cloud of exhaled toxins, hailing the walking firearm to his side. Quite exhausted the green made sighed running unkempt fingers through his greasy black hair. A wide grunting yawn bellowed out as he brought the same hand to fish around in his seafaring pockets. A small cylinder retrieved, extended with three audible clicks as he brought the view finder to his human eye.  
  
Grass crunched and crackled under the combat boots of the lethal humanoid obediently drawing near from her post. Silent as usual, she stopped immediately beside her creator, staring off in the direction of interest. Artificial eyes needn't  squint to see what he'd spotted. The false Noodle blinked, almost perplexed at shrouded darkness or dark matter coming together at the setting sun on the horizon. Shifting in shape like an abnormal storm cloud being swept from side to side in the oceanic wind until finally, the entity took form. A cloaked bizarre looking figure staring back at them through the red tinted lenses of its gas mask.  
  
"There he is."  
  
A crooked smile tugged at his dried green lips exposing the equally crooked teeth that barred together with the utmost despicable confidence. The snake-like tongue lapped at the cracked corners of his Glasgow smile, thriving at moments like this. "He's no doubt had enough of my avoiding him...hnhnn,"Murdoc chuckled to himself gnawing at his excitable lower lip, wry and unapologetic. "Well!",he announced casually staggering to his feet,"I'll be taking off for a bit then till things blow over!" Arms stretched into the sky he groaned and moaned in annoyance. Old bones and joints creaking in his whiskey drowned stupor. Nonchalant, Murdoc sauntered off leaving the stoic android to keep an eye out. Back turned he barked last minute orders with no bother to face the upcoming danger any longer,"Don't know when I'll be back, but if this thing is as gullible as the last time it might just catch a whiff of my trail and give up stalking my HQ."  
  
Up a few steps, he reached the patio grasping at the railing as the consequence of heavy day drinking started to be evident. "Oh yeah!",he leaned backwards,"Keep an eye on my island and be sure to feed the pets--!" A moment to consider the two of them locked away out of sight and mind per his fluctuating toleration of their existence. Everything was left just as it ended between the three of them, little contact other than dropping off sustenance to keep them alive and breathing. 2D for obvious reasons, but for Meryn a reason the old bastard refused to acknowledge. Dismissing any further thought of the pair, he shrugged it off and continued to deny their basic human needs for the sake of upholding the remains of his shattered ego."They ought to be ravenous by now, but they're still on punishment--Only food every 5 days till these sodding bones heal up!",smug and full himself he wagged his splinted finger in the air as he fumbled with the sliding glass door.  
  
"Remember if anything threatens this island, take it the fuck out," with a coy smile he retreated slamming the door shut. Starting off for the helicopter pad, his fingertips snapped together cursing under his breath an unorganized mess. "Shit--Oy!",Murdoc griped pulling the door open once more. "One more thing!",he shouted with the glass door flung back to its ajar position,"If anything threatens the idiot or his she-hulk guardian get them out in time--A-And I'm leaving the boat behind as a means for escape!" Like a parent leaving his child home alone for the first time, there seemed to be no end to the last minute remarks howling from a distance to the stony-faced android teen. Merely taking in each command as they came she hadn't moved a muscle, expecting more instructions to follow soon after.  
  
Suddenly; the one demonic eye on her narrowed. In all seriousness, Murdoc flashed a no-nonsense grimace," Either of them dying is unacceptable. Got it?" On cue, the humanoid arm rose with a hearty salute as it mirrored the menacing sneer of her master before she turned about-face for the setting sun at full attention. "Hnn," the man proudly grunted to himself marching off for the pad,"Good." Nothing needed and everything spur the moment just the way he liked it, Murdoc turned his back to the danger that opposed him while both cowardly saving his own hide and yet devising a plan that just might save them all. At least...for the time being.  
  
With an almost charming grin, he stepped into the machine lowering himself into the cockpit. As the large metallic door slid shut Murdoc guffawed at the thrill. Nothing new, the rickety thing was brought to a blade beating start rising off into the air. One hand manning the control panel and the other casually filling a pipe with tobacco. Between his lips, he puffed chimney smoke whilst laughing in the face of safety as he took a swig from his emergency flask of Grey Goose. Long tongue rolled out like a red carpet, the madman snorted savoring the burn that streamed down his esophagus.  
  
"Ahhh hwuah hnnmrph", mocking grunts filled the smallish space garbled and more gross than usual when alcohol was steadily poured into his gut. "Right then!!",he shouted to no one but himself,"Off we go!" Full throttle, he shifted the joystick forward to go just past the entity. Towards the sunset, the black figure came into perfect view at the rapid approach. Lowered in altitude and grazing the vast ocean's surface, Murdoc set off tongue hanging out his mouth somehow balancing the lit pipe near the very tip. Closer and closer until--  
  
**THUNK**  
  
For a moment, nothing but darkness could be seen and brief tint of red eyes staring back at him as the lunatic man slammed into the fairy tale creature dissipating the black matter that dared to threaten him. The glass went completely dark in an impossibly thick smog that burst on collision. The gas-masked thing slammed snout first into the glass, goggle eyes wide it flashed a nightmarish glare that genuinely struck a tinge of fear in the bold acting pilot. Only to become a comical sight in the way its dark claws scampered along the glass and inevitably slid off with a loud squeak.  
  
"HUEH HAH HAH,"Murdoc burst into laughter, with defiance in his hysterically teary eyes,"Always looking out for old Murdy!" Triumphant his fingers grasped the upside down cross that hung from his neck onto the snug turtleneck shirt. "Muuuah", brought to his lips, he kissed the satanic ornament in thanks to the big red man downstairs. The strangely physical form of the smog skipped across the ocean, cloak flapping wildly and limbs flailing in the rearview mirror. Then plunged into the endless body of water with a huge splash. Confident, Murdoc smirked releasing puffs of smoke while he joked with ease,"Now if **that** doesn't get its attention...Well, I'll have to strip off and shake my tail end!"

* * *

 Watchful artificial eyes narrowed witnessing the sight of said threat switching states. From gaseous to a physical being, it mattered not once it was cast into the ocean. The sky changed from orange to pink, signifying the day's end. Turned on its heel, the machine went to attention walking off with zero urgencies into the man-made loft that made the island standable to look at. A life lived being silent, this makeshift replacement of the beloved Gorillaz guitarist felt little but touch and intrigue. Off to feed the caged gerbils, Cyborg Noodle carried herself walking as light as air with such a stupid task at hand. The packs of food kept way in the back of the refrigerator, she fetched them leaning her entire body forth knocking everything else useless to her aside. Bottles of wine and other junk clamoring in the cooling box that raised the tiny microfibers stitched into her skin.   
  
A small gripe of discontent huffed out in a ghoulish grumble as she retrieved the sustenance needed for the two pets her master insisted on keeping. In a swift kick, the door slammed shut. Air sent gusting at the back of its head and blowing the messily styled hair all over the place. Sifting through the bags it eyed everything with curiosity from the hastily made flimsy sandwiches to the tiny bag of air Murdoc called chips. It was the first time she'd seen anything that was handmade, just looking at the white bread with some sort of mystery "meat" slapped in-between she deduced it, like the rest of the food given to them, had little nutritional value. Glass orbs rattled as she attempted an eye roll, vision gone upside down and returning right side up.   
  
The artificial intelligence wondered why it was that people rolled their eyes if their sight was going to be impaired by turning upside down. Just another thing lost to the perception of a false human. Little shoulders shrugged, placing the foodstuffs back from where they came. In its cargo shorts, the notebook taken some weeks ago still remained, trudging along and grazing against dutiful legs. It blinked, feeling the urge to jot something down as it had secretly been doing since successfully communicating its "feelings" to the lippy trouble making prisoner below. The smallish booklet slapped onto the counter and Cyborg Noodle fetched the pen she'd hidden in the confines of a storage unit used for reloading bullets kept in the pocket of her mouth, the gun situated in the back of her throat left unused and forgotten after the imprisonment took place.  
  
**click**  
  
Flipping from page to page, it sought out for a blank page. The majority of them now filled with the scrawlings of a child written in no order. Several pages folded backward, it found what it was looking for bringing the point to paper. Blank, it stood there for awhile still mindful of other duties that had yet to be fulfilled until something seemed worthy of writing. Taking a much longer time than anything else ever written, the Cyborg felt the need to be depicted in a special manner to the only other person that spoke to her for the sake of conversation. As it turned out, it was much more riveting to have a chat with someone who wasn't a green-skinned, drunkard that harbored unsung declarations of guilt or jealousy for people he regarded as beneath them. Unsure of what would make a cyborg "special", it recalled the thoughtless greetings of the weak blue-haired slave boy. Ink drifted across the page rounding and sharping the letters to resemble a perfect font.  
  
_'Ello_  
  
A single nod marked its satisfaction. A simple word seemed to do the trick. Arm extended, it reverted back to delivering the food via chute and began to tear the page from the notebook to be dropped down first.  
  
**THUD**  
  
Gone wide-eyed, the humanoid dropped everything instantly pivoting towards the rumbling sound. Bags hit the tiled kitchen floor and the entire notebook fell down the dark hole that lead to the underwater cell. A little disappointed, it blinked, not bothered enough to go retrieve its lost property but still disliking the fact that her only pass time was gone. Head hung, her face emoted nothing. Only the slight whirring of mechanics readying for defense. Step by step, she noticed foreign things buzzing around outside only acknowledging the annoyance for the sake of counting how many planes would have to be taken down.   
  
Three separate threats zooming around the island like angry bees, dropping bombs onto the trash island that they all called home. Capable eyes saw the men who piloted them, but not the Boogeyman himself. Either way, it didn't make a difference, the intruders would have to be destroyed. Amiss the bombing and thundering happening to the structure, Cyborg Noodle calmly made her way to the elevator. Blatant disregard for basic safety measures, they deduced it was a better way of getting to the arsenal base floors below. Car hailed she stepped inside, witnessing a rocket blowing straight into the foyer. Glass shattered on impact, trinkets of Murdoc's fell from their respective places, and the passing destruction set fire to the furnishings. With another blink, its shoulders fell knowing it'd have to tend to the spreading flames soon after.  
  
The metal doors enclosed the android in the descending lift. All the rumbling and alarm still apparent in the way the shaft shook and creaked. Finally, it came to a stop, but nothing happened. Head tilted to the side, it pondered why that might be. No time to wait, Cyborg Noodle's hands dove for the door, prying the immobile slides apart in one might motion. The cheaper material Murdoc choose bent and crinkled under the pressure of strong mechanical hands no longer resembling an elevator door but rather an abstract art piece made of scrap metal. Trudging step by step it made its way for the weaponry that called to be used.  
  
In the darkness of the unit, it shuffled around grabbing firearm after firearm. Some strapped to its slender frame and others draped over the shoulder. With a hearty kick, its defensive duties took precedence. The door flew off its hinges landing in the middle of the beach. Menacing it grinned cocking the largest weapon it had. Bazooka aimed at the skies above, it took aim waiting for the perfect window. An intersection of flight patterns and she pulled the trigger. Rocket launched, the recoil nearly knocked the machine off balance as it went zooming off to destroy two planes at once. And destroy them it did. Both became fireballs in the fading light of day, raining down whole parts of fighter jets that plunged into the ocean. Eyes went to the final threat that seemed to stop short and give up, now flying off in the opposite direction for retreat.   
  
Cyborg waited and waited, but the jet never returned. Heavily it sighed in mechanical sounds, loosening its grip on the now unnecessary additional weaponry. Head hung, it or she started off for the next duty that needed tending to. Guns bouncing against the back of its slender frame, it was almost moping with discontent, 'This life is dreadfully boring.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is random but I was staring at a calendar and I just realized today is the date of birth I gave Meryn, February 23rd. She'd be 32 at the present date. Ain't she old af?


	46. Light in the Darkness

Gradually everything became silent. The roar of the powerful waves settling as the debris fully sank into the abyss. Blank and lacking in expression, Cyborg Noodle went into auto pilot tending to mundane task after mundane task. Shattered glass and Murdoc’s possessions on the floor, the rocket that came flying into the foyer thankfully hadn’t done irreversible damage, only really blasting the sliding door off its tracks and burning the surface of furniture. Humanoid hands went to work, sweeping up hazards and lifting large furniture knocked out of place with ease. Bit by bit the room came to resemble what it looked like before all the destruction took place. Knick-knacks and trinkets replaced where they once were.

A single nod signified its content with the outcome.

Legs paced to the kitchen automatically, simply grasping both bags that had been dropped to the floor and dropping them where they should have gone in the first place. Down the long chute, both bags collided against each other until they hit the very bottom with the faint sound of a thud resonating throughout the entirety of the vent. Shoulders fell a bit, relaxing once all tasks were completed. With a strange look on its face, it pondered what to do now that the Boogeyman and his fighter jet minions had been dealt with. Hesitantly, the hand dangling at its side lifted to mirror the action deep thought. Staring at the appendage, its digits twitched and moved beyond the limits of a human being.

Finicky the index and thumb grazed against its tightly wound chin trying to recall the placement of where which finger should be to make a successful gesture. Fingers went back and forth, trying out different looks and expressions in the reflection of the toaster nearby atop the counter. “Hsssh”, grumbled out as it leaned forward further intrigued by the faces being made in the fish eye lens image reflected. No matter what, each expression left the curious cyborg dissatisfied, none of them holding any ounce of character within.

Head lowered, its head shook dismissively, a hot flash of disappointment felt for its own inability to do something every person could do. Two steps taken backwards, it pivoted starting off for the elevator once more. At least the fallen notebook could now be retrieved from the underwater barracks below. Endoskeleton stiff for some reason, the false teen waddled into the already ajar door of the cylindrical lift car resting its head against the wall. Uncovered jacks and outlets on its artificial scalp clanked lightly against the metallic barrier, the hair sewn in along the grafted area cushioned each plug-in entry from damage.

There was one major rule that Murdoc had made known before his master plan went into motion: ‘Don’t open that door for anything until I give the command.’

Lids lowered, and a small frown beginning to pull at the expressionless features, the cyborg pondered what would become of its existence if it were to disobey. All for a silly little notebook swiped from the office of its creator. The car settled at the destination, the very bottom of the elevator shaft. A lagged response for the doors to come sliding open, it rose a brow suspicious of malfunctions to this floors second set of doors as well as the Lobby level that had to be pried apart almost an hour ago.

**bing**

The doors slowly opened after extended moments of nothing, putting the man-made teen at ease until the second problem presented itself in the form a single metal door. At the end of the smallish corridor, the door that held two prisoners captive came into view. Combat boots trudged forward, approaching the dilemma head-on. Hand hovering over the dimly lit number pad, it paused short of making a decision.

 

* * *

 

“Hm,” Meryn mumbled to herself eyeing the man who sat with elongated legs folding over each other across from her on the floor. “Mm?”,2D sat up straight at attention,”Wha’s tha look for?” Shoulders shrugged, she pursed her lips out in annoyance, “Just hungry.” Head hung, he chuckled falling into a silent despair soon after, “Fink he’s tryna kill us?” For a moment she dismissed the idea completely, but five days without food was a pretty long time to go without any sustenance. Only hard tap water to drink from the faucet, anything at this point would be acceptable, as long as it could be consumed. So many times over the last few days Meryn had found her eyes trailing over to the chute in hopes of something to eat. Hell, even if food came plummeting down to a splat on impact and had to be licked off the vent she’d forego her sanitary standards just to taste something other than poor quality water.

Like days prior, brown eyes drifted over to the chute. Inwardly she hoped that Jesus Christ himself would be standing there with welcoming arms, maybe even offering a full banquet and an escape from this hell. “Huh?” she leaned forward into a crawl noticing something small and flat lying face down against the boxy end of the chute. Black eyes followed her form making its way for the object spotted,”Wha’ issat?” Head tilted to the side, Meryn pouted a bit bitter that the first thing that had fallen in almost a week wasn’t food. A heavy disappointed gust of air blew from her puckering lips as the object was lifted into better view.

“Hn,”she groaned out loud. “It’s just a book or something…”, trailed off she suddenly realized how familiar it was. “Wait…I think this is…,” immediately fingers flipped open the little book confirming her estimation. “This is from the Cyborg Noodle”, Meryn proclaimed, hair flinging down her back at the swift excitable turn of her head. “Really?”, 2D cocked his head to the side quite confused. “But…”, he murmured to himself in thought,”Wha’ wuld it needa lil book for?”

On her bare knees, Meryn shuffled forward stopping directly in front of the buggy eyed man. Dropping to fold her knees she sat perched up extending the book out in front of her for the both of them to view. “It—Or—She took it from Murdoc’s room of operations while the green douche was occupied pushing you off a damn cliff…,”bitterness lined her words still not yet over how the love of her life could have been killed from such a fall. “Yeah?” he awkwardly acknowledged the clear animosity that emitted from her form shaking in anger from the memory. Voids narrowed, he focused on the single word written on the first page. “Uh, ted-tendonitis? Tenacious?”, he tried to read the words from where he sat across from her,”Wha’s it say?”

Meryn rotated the book for him to read, “Tedious.”

“Oh. Makes moar sense than tendonitis….unless robots can get tha’…”

With a smirk she rolled her eyes flipping over to the next page, “I can read upside down so why don’t you hold it D?”

“Mmkay,” he nodded taking the small book in his large hands. This page was quite different from the last. “Oh,” he chirped,”Issa picture.” It looked like a child drew it; stick figures with names written above or under each and the land they all stood on was scribbled hastily with a pink marker. “It’s us,” Meryn said quietly pointing at the one stick figure that stuck out like a sore thumb. A ridiculously long body and its twiggy legs far up on its body, this stick figure had spiky blue hair and black circles for eyes with a line across its face that made the poor thing look very sad. 2D blinked perplexed, honored, and then squinting discontented, “It drew me in tha’ nude!”

“Ahahah well then, ”Meryn laughed pointing at the one beside him with squiggly lines for hair and large circles drawn on its chest, “ At least it didn’t draw your assets.” “Pfft,” he snorted clasping his hand over his mouth, “It doesn’t do em justice, love.”

“Shut uuuup,” she nudged him off balance and he fell on his bony behind vibrating with laughter. Meryn snatched the notebook shuffling to his side as he sat back up still very much amused with his teasing. “Sorry”, he cheesed big and wide flashing a gold glimmer from the far side of his dopey grin. “It’s been awhile since we did our fing ol’ tha way…”, the smile lessened into a shy chubby cheeked attempt of containing his dorkiness. Sheepish but eager, an open hand cupped her bare breast pushing the wide scoop of her shirt aside. She shuddered cackling at the bold move, “Your hand is so cold.”

“Oh uh sorry,” he quickly removed the hand sliding the flimsy shirt back in place to drape over the skin he’d exposed. The woman smirked, brown eyes narrowing suggestively, “No need to apologize.” 2D gulped as a chill went up his spine, grinning like a perverted idiot and melting under the intensity of her stare. Quickly he shook his head, pushing away the rising urges that told him to have her right then and there.

“Been a hard couple days…,”she cleared her throat acknowledging the inner struggle he was having. The taste of sperm still present from earlier, and a wave of exhaustion felt as she recalled the energy spent on satisfying his needs. Taking turns on orally pleasing each other the past few days, it saved much needed energy that couldn’t be replenished due to the weekday long starvation. Still, as it was made apparent time and time again, what the both of them wanted required them to not be fatigued. It only made the lack of food even more annoying when it limited their favorite pastime. Meryn huffed and puffed almost succumbing to a childish tantrum, the urge to kick and gripe until things returned to normal.

Normal?

She laughed at the thought rearranging her words.

Here, normal meant being fed on time and surviving until the accursed album’s release.

“This is torture…I wanna go ‘ome.”

2D’s expression changed drastically. Hangdog, blue hair fell forward draping over his eyes, hiding them away. Despondent he sighed twiddling his thumbs together, “I absolutely hate this place.” Meryn frowned, quite crestfallen herself. Unsure of what to say, she knew nothing would make the trapped feeling go away. “Hey”, she scooted closer placing a gentle hand along his twitching jawline. Teeth chattering together in annoyance, it all came to a stop at the soft touch of feminine fingers grazing across his cheek. Slightly he turned to look at her, devoid of his easy-going nature and instead flashing a very much angry scowl. Taken aback, Meryn removed the hand dropping it back by her side.

Wide-eyed all of a sudden he raised a brow, wordlessly relaxing his face. “S’not yew Kat,” he spoke quickly to fix the air between them. Black voids stared, softening a little as he quietly held her hand placing it back where she’d had it a moment ago, “Yer hand’s a lil cold too.” Sad for him, Meryn found it difficult to smile back. Forward she leaned caressing his stilled cheek looking back at his sullen orbs. A kiss planted firmly against his lips, he gradually closed his eyes being taken back to the New Years party years ago. The very same girl taking his breath away just like back then.

She pulled away, quietly staring at the carpet and unable to look him in the eyes in fear of seeing that dreadfully painful look in the windows to his beautiful soul. A large hand shot out in her line of sight grabbing hold of her dejected face wrenching it back up to line up with him. Thumb grazing back and forth over her cheek, his lips collided back with hers. Clinging on for life, his grip was tight yet thoughtful. Back and forth force fluctuated, her head fell backwards held upright by the edge of the mattress and his proof of passion tilted against her soft lips. For a split second, it deepened. Open mouthed he slid his tongue across her bottom lip being met with a loving lap back to his own.

Pulling a few millimeters back he sighed against her panting breaths that escaped through parted yearning lips. Head tilted forward, his forehead rest against hers, a bigger sigh coming out in a puff of warm breath. Eyes squeezed shut, he just remained there in close proximity of her kissable lips that he badly wanted to connect with again. Fingertips trailed from her cheek into her hair, pushing a beachy portion behind her ear. Silently kiss pecked to his straight-faced lips.

“Heh heh,” he smiled a little, his pale beige tinted skin gone a shade of pink at her continued efforts. Eyes open, he pulled away completely resting his back against the bed frame once more. On all fours, Meryn crawled over his extended leg, plopping down in between and resting her back against his rising and falling chest. Head in the crook of his neck she leaned against him taking in his warmth. Little book back in his hand he draped both arms around her opening back up the next page.

“Hm, lookit this one,”2D mumbled resting his head against hers.

This one was more…dignified. Instead of stick figures, there were people with human shapes. Another drawing of Meryn and 2D but this time the cyborg added itself. Alongside the cyborg was none other than the green man that held their livelihoods in his gross hands. “She’s just…drawing pictures of us,” Meryn tried to imagine why that would be. Onto the next page was a nicely done landscape of Plastic Beach. The next was a picture of the ocean and the one that followed a portrait of the blank-faced Cyborg herself. “It looks loike some famous artist did this!”, 2D squinted in amazement taking in all of the line work and details that went into it. “Clearly practice has paid off…”,Meryn sighed trying to fathom how the cyborg had gone from a child’s art project to photograph like pictures.  
Curiosity piqued, Meryn flipped to the next page, eyes narrowing to read the small print that differed from the large word written on the first page. “What are these? A list?”, she thought out loud. Neatly written was a list of synonyms describing various emotions ranging from happy to sad, angry to excited, and so on. Carefully she tried to decipher what the lowercase letters in parentheses beside every single word meant. Only a few letters were used and each of them color-coded in pen. Suddenly an idea dawned on her.

“I think she’s using these words to describe the people she knows…so just you, me, and Murdoc.”

Brow raised he gave Meryn an odd look, “How’dya figure?”

“The word ‘daring’ has a little purple ‘m’ next to it.”

“Mmkay, yeah?”, he scratched his head still not grasping how she’d come to that conclusion.

“And the word ‘idiot’ has a blue ‘d’ next it.”

“….Oh.”

2D frowned, crossing his arms around her turning his nose up in irritation. She smiled at him kindly, a hand reaching to pat at his head. “You’re not an idiot, you’re adorable”, she cooed in his ear. Pouting like a child he turned away trying to not to blush from the nice words uttered at his expense. Cackling at the mere thought of how the strange little robot decidedly color coded them by hair color, Meryn shook her head in slight puzzlement. Onto the next, she fumbled with the sheets that wound up stuck together somehow, eventually loosening them with the edge of her nail. 2D leaned forward fixing his eyes on the next sight, his chin resting against her shoulder. What they saw was one word.  
  
'Ello.'  
  
"Hm???", they sounded in unison. Both their heads simultaneously tilted to the left, wearing the same mystified expression at the single out of character greeting written down with perfect penmanship that mirrored the font of an extravagant RSVP. Before either of them had a chance to consider it further something else caught their attention. A sudden plop from the corner of the room gained two curious glances shot to the source of the sound. Two paper bags on their side sat waiting for them in the bottom of the chute. Brown eyes went wide as she went into a crawl, shuffling over to fetch the answer to her prayers.  
  
Hurried she reached inside holding each bundle in hand. "Food!",Meryn bounced in place on her knees in excitement over two shitty sandwiches and the tiny bag of Lays that 2D never wanted to see again. "Ughh," he threw his head back in automatic annoyance having spotted the familiar yellow bag that contained mostly air. "At least its something," she countered hustling back over on her knees to plop back down in front of him. Overhead, she handed him his rinky-dink meal, to which he grumbled in complaint taking a bite of the flimsy thing. It tasted...interesting. With a heavy labored sigh, 2D finished the whole thing stuffing his mouth full in efforts to get it over. Contrary to his approach, Meryn took little bites like a bird, her face scrunched with each bizarre flavored munch. Over her shoulder she gazed out of the corner of her eye, witnessing how her lover struggled to swallow with his own twisted up expression.  
  
A harsh painful swallow brought tears to his eyes as he forced it down in one large gulp. "Gah!", he gasped heavy-lidded and tongue hanging from his lips as he shuddered in absolute discomfort. "Be careful, you're going to hurt yourself doing that!", she barked with the unsavory chewed up bits in her cheek pockets. Indifferent, 2D shrugged," Had t'get it down somehow..." Through wavy bangs, she shot him a look finally bringing herself to swallow. "I kinda hope tha' next one has arsenic innit", he sighed slumping against the frame. "Tha' way, we can jus be put outta our misery", droned from his strained vocal cords with a wavering pitch.  
  
Meryn blinked up at him, "That was...the most depressing thing I've ever heard you say."  
  
"Yeah, I fink yer rioght." Nodding he folded his arms across his chest taking in a deep breath and immediately exhaling in frustrated burst from his lungs. Meryn sighed, shoulders falling in low spirits. He'd gone sardonic again. There was nothing that could be done from here, usually, his bad moods lasted for hours or days even. The only cure being cigarettes or sex. "I kno wha' yer finkin'...", he spoke suddenly. Eyes closed and arms still folded he guessed without having to look at her face for an answer. The silence that fell was enough of a hint to go on. "I'm a lil grumpy rioght now, but don't worry bout me", he spoke with little emotion in his tone. More dead inside than before, 2D cackled, shoulders bouncing in amusement of how lacking he sounded.  
  
"D...", she started, only to be interrupted by the unannounced blackout that shrouded the room in total darkness. Holding her head in the palm of her hand, Meryn groaned out loud,"Of course." The lazy form from behind, laughed aloud at the never-ending hell he remained stuck in, "Why am I nawt surprised?" Eyes adjusting to the darkness, Meryn saw a slight light peeking from underneath the large door that held them. "Is someone there?",she leaned forward spotting two shadows standing directly in front of the barrier. On the carpet she flattened herself out, head tilting to the side in efforts of confirming her suspicions. The rim of a shoe or a boot stood side to side before the small corridor too went dark.   
  
Nothingness. Complete silence. Only her accelerated breathing and the shuffling from where he sat could be heard. Heat and air conditioning came to a stop, the consistent hum of electricity gone and fading ominously away. By the door, the presence too seemed surprised, the rubber soles squeaking as it pivoted in an inquiry. For a while, Meryn lay frozen in front of the door. All hope drained from her form, and the nervous breathing became still. Two light taps sounded from different places on the metal door, warranting a sharp gasp to come in terror. The sound of a pen dropping to the floor outside as the ringing came to an end. The object rolling underneath the crack onto their side. And suddenly she realized.  
  
"D!", Meryn called into the darkness in his general direction.  
  
"Y-Yeah?"  
  
"Throw me the notebook--An-And your phone!"  
  
He didn't understand but, her tone was scaring him. I didn't take seeing her to know she was a bit rattled. Feeling around for the notebook by his side, 2D located his cell phone instead immediately blinding himself with the bright light of the screen. "Ah!", he winced turning it over to scan the carpet below. Trailing about he located it, grabbing the notebook and shuffling to her side in urgency. The light from the phone shined across her nervous features, only a slight smile as he settled down beside her. Gently, 2D placed the book in the palm of her hand blinking in befuddlement as she brought the pen to next page.  
  
Curious, he loomed in from above shining the lit device over her writing.  
  
'Is this the cyborg?'  
  
Immediately, Meryn slid the notebook under the door along with the pen and awaited her theory. Snatched from the other side, the papers crumpled up a bit just barely making it through the tiny space. "Yew really fink its tha' robot Noodle?",2D whispered in a hushed tone. She didn't answer, her face serious and eyes focused on the presence beyond. It didn't take very long, soon the notebook returned back to them with a reply.  
  
'Yes.'  
  
"I knew it...", Meryn let out a sigh of relief flashing a smile to the man quietly observing. The same pen came rolling back, and she grabbed it with vigor quickly writing a reply of her own.   
  
'Where is Murdoc?'  
  
Back to the other side, a conversation on paper had started. Backward and forward, reply after reply taking up several sheets of the small notebook.  
  
'Gone.'  
  
'He left Plastic Beach?'  
  
'A distraction tactic to rid of the Boogeyman.'  
  
'Is that what was attacking us earlier?'  
  
'No. The Boogeyman disappeared to trail Murdoc. What attacked, was his underlings.'  
  
'And the lights? What happened?'  
  
'Structural damage to the island's power source.'  
  
Meryn started another reply, only to have the pen removed from in between her fingers. Tongue peeking from the corner of 2D's mouth, he inserted himself in the back and forth boldly asking a question that was going to be inevitably denied.  
  
'Hiya Noodle Cyborg thing, can you let us out?'  
  
**smack**  
  
The palm of Meryn's hand collided with her forehead. "Why'd you do that?",she mouthed in a panic, wide eyed with both arms in the air. 2D shrugged awkwardly whispering back in defense of his choice,"C-Coz we gotta get outta 'ere?" Rocking where she sat, she held her head sighing at his tact, or lack thereof. The book came back quickly.  
  
'No.'  
  
Dishearten, he sank, wearing the saddest expression she'd ever seen. Weakly he returned the pen, guiltily bringing his knees to his chest. Meryn softened, watching his self-depreciation take place. Quick thinking, she sought out to salvage his attempt. When making deals with someone, they have to be given incentive, but what could be offered to a Cyborg whose only purpose was to replace the real Noodle who remained missing? Closing the cap, Meryn crossed her fingers sliding it to the other side.  
  
2D eyed her woefully aimlessly flicking the touch screen to keep their immediate area in a consistent glow. Biting her bottom lip, she placed a hand over his. "I love you", came in a shaky whisper as she clenched her fingers firmly to his skin. He sniffled, forcing himself to smile even though he continued to fall into despair. Minutes passed and there was no response. Together they settled, backs against the door letting themselves become engulfed in darkness. No more attempts of keeping the screen lit. All there was left to do was wait for a sign.  
  
Without any indication, the door clicked.  
  
Meryn smirked, grasping 2D's hand tugging him along with her away from the door. Only cracked at first, it soon flew open. As the lights flickered back to life in the corridor, the closest shined down on the petite form towering over where they sat. The two lesser people barely dressed, tired, and hungry looked up to the unsettling crooked smile on their mechanical savior's shadowed face. Notebook in hand, Cyborg Noodle whirred with a single nod for a response.  
  
The last page was written on held up to view displayed the deal settling incentive Meryn came up with: 'Aren't you tired of being bored?'


	47. Genesis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short, but picking up where I left off...

Sat across from the stilled machine at the small kitchen table, Meryn scarfed down the good food Murdoc had been holding back for himself. No second thoughts required, she helped herself to the contents of the refrigerator laying out a buffet of luxuries for herself and her partner to share. No words uttered and the only sounds being the muffled hums and sighs of satisfaction from the both of them. Head hung over the back of the chair, she took in a deep breath of fresh, albeit, garbage scented air. The smell didn't matter at this point, anything was better than the stuffy air of the small space she and 2D had lived in for close to a year. Mouth full of cheesy pizza, 2D rejoiced leaning back in his own chair over and over again. With each bite, the man flew backward in bliss, teetering on the chair's legs and then flinging forward again for another delicious munch.  
  
Seemingly perplexed, Cyborg Noodle blinked merely watching the animalistic display unfold across from where she'd parked herself. Brown eyes flickered in question to the android teen half guessing what must be going on in its enigmatic mind. "Sorry," she plainly said, only stopping for a brief moment to swallow. The woman snickered wiping her mouth of the food traces with the back of her hand. Smiling, Meryn sat back casually slumping against the flimsy furniture. "We probably look like savages to you right now, huh?", she started, staring past the choppy bangs that hid the cyborg's familiar emerald colored eyes. "It's been so long since either of us has had anything...", Meryn paused to pick her words carefully. Mouth wrenched in a considering smirk she shrugged,"Since we've had anything of nutritional value."  
  
Leaning forward in silence, the false Noodle placed her palms flat on the table, head jerking in a quick gesture for the notebook laid aside. Meryn nodded, reaching past 2D who remained too preoccupied to be involved in their unconventional means of conversation. Bare medium length fingernails dragged the book across the table, snatching the pen from its spiral binds. "What did you want to ask me?", she sighed patiently sliding the notebook to its adopted owner. The petite one blinked, eyes immediately falling to the lined paper in front of it. Numerous notes exchanged over the last hour or so took over the many of the pages. Front and back, question after question had been solved by the woman experienced with life. Mute, Cyborg Noodle's hand started to move across the freshest page, quickly writing out what laid heavy on its mind. Cap popped back on the end of the pen, the notebook was slid back for the more than accommodating woman to view.  
  
'What's wrong with him?'  
  
Meryn chuckled, running fingers through the wavy locks at the back of her head. "He's..."  
  
2D looked up for the first time in ages granting the both of them eye contact after an hour of mindless face stuffing. "Hm?",his head tilted to the side, just then noticing the eyes of both girls stuck on him. Mouth scrambled in a squiggly line, 2D swallowed the poorly chewed food wincing as it went painfully down his throat. "Gah!", gasped in a burst from his labored lungs. Tongue hung from his lips, his lids fluttered in inquiry,"Wot?"   
  
"Nothing, D." Shaking her head, Meryn brought a single finger to his mouth. His 31-year-old face still abundant in crumbs and tomato sauce like a child who had trouble feeding themselves. The remaining bits wiped away with the tip of her finger, she relieved him of any self-conscious thoughts. "I got it," she announced wiping her hand with the crumpled up napkin nearby. Artificial lids flickered in another blink returning back to the small notebook. Without motioning for its return, the cyborg instead snatched it back going to write out the next thing on its mind.   
  
'Do you have a romantic interest in Murdoc?'  
  
"Pffft!", Meryn scoffed, blowing a mocking raspberry at the thought. "No," her head shook from side to side, flinging amaranthine hair about. "Nononononono...no," came reiterated several times amongst an array of strange-faced expressions. "Hn," 2D folded his arms across his chest sneaking a peek at the question written. "O'course not," he spitefully smirked," Who culd love a sour ol' man loike him?" A quick reply was jotted down and immediately slid before the curt blue haired man.   
  
'I wasn't speaking to you.'  
  
"Tch", he pouted looking off elsewhere drumming knobby fingertips along the surface. A gentle handle pressed down atop his own, his lover attempting to put him at ease. "Why did you ask me that?", Meryn cautiously asked gliding over his pale skin.  
  
The answer came just as quickly, 'I believe he has such interest in you.'  
  
"No way!", suddenly the usually easygoing man shouted out in something more than a mere disagreement. Huffing and puffing, he became riled up at the implication alone, "Pleeze, tha only fing Murdoc loves is himself..." A jittery but possessive arm wrapped around the woman beside him, his long appendage hanging from her shoulder as he feigned an air of confidence. "B'sides," he continued," Only reason he wuld wan' Kat is for a quick shaggin'." Chest puffed up and the woman in question pulled close, 2D held his head up high in blatant denial. Sighing, Meryn went along with the front. _His ego is showing again._ Whenever such a question arose, the sunny man would become audacious; making snide remarks or forcing himself to laugh off just how much that microscopic possibility scared him. Chloropyhll colored eyes rolled in the back of the android's head at his failure to stay out of her apparent invite-only conversation. A haughty smirk worked its way across the humanoid's features writing in a language the pest of a man couldn't understand.  
  
"Aw!", 2D complained shooting a pleading glance to Meryn as he pointed at the next thing written.
    
    
      **' 私はそれが性的な感情を超えていると信じています。'**
    

 

Sighing Meryn brushed the bangs out of her face, refreshing herself on the language she'd not spoken or read in years. However, it didn't take much comprehension to pick up on what was continuously being implied.   
  
' I believe it goes beyond sexual urges.'  
  
Grumbling to herself she considered it, only dismissing it moments later, "Ariso ni nai nanika yo ni." (Something like that is unlikely./There is nothing there.)  
  
As if he'd been betrayed, 2D sank down into his seat. Knuckles grazing the floor as they hung from his long arms. Straight-faced, she pushed the subject aside not wanting to add to his lack of confidence, "Tonikaku...Naze anata wa 2D ni bureina desu ka?"(Anyway...Why are you being so rude to 2D?) With a simple shrug, the perplexing false human easily shirked thoughts considered useless. "No no," Meryn sat up completely folding her arms on the table. Not taking avoidance for an answer she poked for a viable reason behind its actions, "Doshite?" (Why?)  Again, green eyes rolled, expressing as much defiance as she'd observed Meryn doing to Murdoc countless times. Glancing at the shrunken defeated form to her left, she decided against pushing for a legitimate answer for now. Rather tending to the man continuously moping himself closer to being on the floor. "Come on, get up", she huffed practically lifting him from where he'd gradually slid. "I d'nt get it...", 2D complained furrowing his box brows at the impasse he'd been dealt, "Hmph...I miss tha real Noodle..."  
  
At that, the insulting clone seemed to soften. It's expression becoming contemplative instead of basking in the feeble man's tattered nerve. Stripped of its own gall, she looked to the man she'd regarded a bumbling oaf in an inquiry. Taken back, astonishment flashed on his once bitter face. Never before had 2D seen an ounce of uncertainty emoted from the cyborg. Only blank stares and unsettling grins greeted 2D on his excursions from their underwater prison. Always standing in the corner of the room as he'd been forced to record, he'd barely ever seen the thing's eyes and when he did, it never failed to make his skin crawl. Something about looking into the eyes of the deceased and never again seeing the genuine smile that he'd been granted the moment he opened that Fed Ex crate disrupted the neverending mourning of losing her.  
  
The real Noodle.

And although 2D wanted to believe his dear oddity of a little sister still existed, the source of the supposed good news couldn't be trusted. The 2D of years ago might've been so gullible, but the 2D of the present knew hopelessness all too well to ever fathom being so optimistic again. The gem colored eyes in plain view continued to lie to him solely by its appearance. The brief wonder drained from his features, reverting to the bleak suspicious frown that protected him from false hope. "Wot?", he asked still feeling the glassy eyes on him. Turning away, he attempted to hide himself from the sight holding his arms tightly against his chest. In an almost pondering manner, the mechanical girl hesitated to slide the conversation notepad from where it remained in front of Meryn. Studying the form and retreating posture of the now standoffish lead singer it tried to understand. Head tilting ever so slightly as it noted the fidgeting of the man's fingers clenching with anxiety at his sleeves. Black eyes unreadable, there was only the narrowing of their shape to go by.   
  
'Am I not like the real Noodle?' Slid into his peripheral as 2D's obsidian orbs refused to look in the direction of the tainted memory of the girl he'd watched grow up. "2D", Meryn tapped at his shoulder as lightly as she spoke. This sight, he trusted. Warm chestnut irises melted away the facade of indifference he wore. "Not callin' me D yeah?" , his shoulders bounced as he tried to laugh off the fluttery confused feeling in his chest. In her eyes, he surrendered sighing as he went to read the question directed at him. The notebook appeared much smaller while in his large hands. With the sentence read, 2D remained blank for a moment shoulders rising at the obvious answer that threatened to be spat out in scorn. Then suddenly they fell woefully, stopping himself from misdirecting his grief in an unnecessarily scathing reply. Sullen he sank, blue hair hung over his eyes as he shook his head "no".  
  
  
Silence struck between the three of them. Time seemed to stop at his simple answer. Himself and his prized lover both revisiting better days with only a glance exchanged. Curiosity got the best of 2D before long, and he found his head rising on its own regardless of what his fragile and neurotic ego told him. Cerulean strands cleared from his view, being replaced with the cyborg's incomprehensible big-eyed gaze. Arms rose defensively dropping the notebook to the table, unsure what to make of the look on its face. "Uh...um", he shook in terror unable to break away from the off-putting expression on the face of the dearly departed. As if the ground came collapsing in, Cyborg Noodle remained frozen for reasons unknown to even itself. As a manmade copy meant to mirror the Gorillaz guitarist, what was it or she to make of this revelation? The humanoid creation hadn't even a clue of which pronouns accurately described its existence. Not only was there a missing sense of self, but an unbearable failure to fulfill the main purpose given. Even now in the wake of acknowledging the failure to be the person it was created to be, it couldn't comprehend why it'd failed in the first place.  
  
Slowly, the blank gaping stare landed on the "hands" laid out before it's body. Looking at each well-constructed palm with cybernetic skin that looked similar to any other human's. What made Cyborg Noodle, fail at being Noodle? Only an endoskeleton with an expensive skin suit. A weapon. A robot. These things were known and perceived by all. So why? It wondered. And how was it not Noodle? A walking computer with all the complex knowledge at its disposal but born without life's experiences. Surely the body it was born into was that of an adolescent teen, but as the simplistic questions and answers infinitely came up inconclusive, Cyborg Noodle knew then it was as ignorant as an infant. Mouth ajar, a hoarse unthinkable sound exited from its internal mechanisms. Much like a cry of humiliation, the noise droned on in an emotion lacking hiss examining its own appendages as if they belonged to a new being.   
  
Meryn watched the self-realization unfold, able to do nothing but look on as an observer. What could only be described as an empty form of enlightenment, that rivaled how Adam and Eve must've felt once they'd eaten from the forbidden tree and realized that they were naked. 2D's lower lip quivered with a tenuous grasp of what was happening and understandably disturbed by the chill-inducing low groan. With a heavy heart, she sighed,"You know...You've never been Noodle to me either." The truth burned her lips as they left her mouth, wincing as she struggled to put an idea into words. "Noodle is Noodle, and you....are you", trailing off Meryn bit her lip rolling with the thoughts as they came. "Right now, you're a blank slate but that's how everyone starts off", hands reached across the table shakily grasping at the cool upturned palms of the troubled being. "You've just been doing what you were told, but for now why not try and look inwards?", Meryn suggested softly. Legitimately feeling sorry for the poor soul, what else could be said?  
  
"Today, you made a choice on your own. I... can't guarantee it but I think that if you keep thinking about what it is that  you want, you'll become who you're meant to be."  
  
Words processed and received, the new being resisted the programmed urge to dissect Meryn's counsel.  
  
The only person who treated Cyborg Noodle as more than a weapon or a clone spoke of such cliche insight that would normally be disregarded as useless impracticality. Yet her words ripe with the promise of finally overcoming the incessant emptiness, brought cold hands firmly clasping over the ones brimming with warmth and organic life. According to her, the one that Murdoc secretly regarded so much, this was an important first step. A decision to step outside of orders had been made.  
  
At the slight nodding tilt of the head, the shell of a human was being reborn.


	48. Freewill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuationnnn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, intimacy, and a thoughtful little idea.

"Hnnn", Meryn dragged out a groan closing the door of the cyborg's control room. Her lids heavy with mental fatigue and the question of what tomorrow would bring. The rest of the self-realizing conversation on paper had gone nowhere. Empty stares and Meryn trying to accommodate the sense of self the poor cyborg lacked. Attempts to pillow the fall went on unsuccessful as the newly enlightened being silently excused itself and dragged its feet to its quarters. In pitying concern, Meryn leaped to her feet leaving 2D 's side, as the crestfallen false Noodle made an exit. Back against the wall, she stood simply taking in the recent events and coming to terms with how quickly things had changed. Just a few short hours ago, walking freely around Plastic Beach was impossible and a laughable idea. And yet, the impossible had happened.  
  
Chocolatey eyes scanned the sight before her, that she'd only glanced at while following Cyborg Noodle to the ground level. Bits of scrap metal and evidence of a blast at the beach edge had turned the artificial sand into a glassy material. Even from where she stood, the glimmer of the chemical change taken place shined a bit in the rising moonlight. "What the hell is going on...", she murmured to herself pushing away from the door. Walking along the walkway she came, she all of a sudden noticed the amount of unidentifiable singed debris lightly dusting the way back to the caved elevator. Every bit of chaos on the ground level made the gaping hole in the foyer floors above a lot more fathomable. Having done everything she could for the android she stepped into the lift. On the gradual ascension, Meryn came to terms with everything as it had been laid out. Murdoc would be absent for an unknown amount of time, leaving them to be sitting ducks in the attack of a children's folklore come to life.   
  
Meryn shook her head half chuckling at the absurdity of such a thing being possible

A light sounding ping chimed at the arrival of the lift. The doors opened to the same sight she'd witnessed on the first ride to the luxury floor. The very same gaping hole where the sliding glass doors used to be. Only one thing was noticeably different, all the lights had dimmed and 2D was nowhere to be seen. From around the corner, the kitchen appeared to be empty, the familiar blue hair and lanky legs gone from where he'd been sitting prior.  
  
"D?", she called peering around every possible corner for that beloved blank stare of his. Lips curving into a frown, there was no one to be found. Both brows came together in concern as Meryn nervously pulled at the ends of her hair. Paranoid feet had her fleeing to her old bedroom for some sort of safe haven. Into the room, slightly more lit than the rest of the loft area, Meryn quickly closed the door behind her. Shaking her head she tried to push away panicky thoughts of supernatural threats lurking around in the darkness. The attack, the existence of a monster, the gaping fucking hole in the wall that left them vulnerable to any and everything. After all the unforeseeable events in a single day, how could she not? As if on cue, a shuffling noise came from behind sending chills up her spine.   
  
"Mh!", she yelped and spun around quick to witness quite a sight.  
  
"There yew are!", 2D chirped from where he lay. He'd made himself comfortable, the length of his body wrapped up the blankets she once wrapped her own body in. Like a long worm, he wiggled over to the side allowing her a space to sit beside him. Only the top of his head and large bony feet peeking out from the lavender colored warmth. All his clothes piled up in the corner of the room, his long jeans appeared to have been kicked off and thrown before he'd rolled himself up. "Hey Kat!", his voice came muffled against the fabric, "Aren't yew coming ova? It's reaaal warm!" Meryn's shoulders fell taking in a much needed breath. "Geez...", she groaned slapping her open palm to her forehead. Paranoid of some omnipotent force, and here 2D was pretending to be a caterpillar. Looking like a bendy straw, he sat up suddenly, his mouth still covered as he wriggled around trying to partially free himself. "Did I scare yew?", he mumbled in concern scooting to the edge of the mattress.  
  
Sighing heavily, Meryn slumped against the door,"I'm a little on edge I guess." The blanket so tight, he was struggling to walk like a normal person once he finally managed to stand up and instead 2D hopped to her side. "Don't worry!", he said with his head held high, "Loike I said, I'll protect ya! It'll be curtains f'anyone tha' messes wiff yew!" Triumphant, he landed just before her wavering form. His head finally popping out from the tight coil he'd wound himself up in. "Heh heh," she chuckled, unable to keep a straight face at the man daring to take anyone or anything on for her when he resembled an off colored palm tree.  
  
Meryn smiled, taking in the sight not seen in awhile. A genuinely happy and carefree 2D. The one that effortlessly brought her spirits up just being near. "Wot?", he bent like a pipe cleaner in question. "You're in a good mood", she beamed standing up straight from her slouched posture. "It's coz I'm finally away frum tha' stalkin' whale!", 2D shuddered, the mere thought enough to make him cringe in horror. Bit by bit, the sight had Meryn burst into laughter. "S-Sorry!", she wiped a pooling tear from the corner of her eye, "I can't decide if you look more like a worm or a tree!"  
  
2D narrowed 8-ball fractured eyes, beginning to pout as he puffed out his chest within the blankets bind," Yer jus jealous f'how comfortable I am!" Meryn smirked, a single brow raising at a sudden mischievous thought came to mind. "By the way...", she started eyeing the way the blanket snug tightly at every inch of his thin frame. From a smirk to a wide grin, Meryn's hands darted for the blanket and snatched the corner of the soft material. "Oi-H-HEY!", he yelped in alarm being unraveled with each tug. Round and round the silly man spun until he emerged from the cocoon, arms out in a flail, as a mostly naked butterfly. "Hwuh", he groaned very dizzied with his tongue peeking from the corner of his scrambled expression. Goosebumps broke out all over his pale skin, along with the hairs standing up suddenly exposed to the chilly night air. "Brrr", he shuddered, with uneven teeth chattering about. The draft from the gaping hole in the foyer made even the closed off room a bit nippy.  
  
His frail body jittery and awkward was as scrawny as ever, but to Meryn, lovably so.  
  
Arms draped over his bare skin as she brought him close. Clumsily he staggered until he was overtaken by the replacement of the blanket's warmth. Against his firm chest Meryn hummed, her voice reverberating against his flesh caused a tingly feeling that had him giggling in response. Lengthy appendages snaked around her waist returning the embrace, and intensifying the heat of their bodies mashed together. Dreamily, she sighed wishing she could somehow be apart of him and absorb the energy of basking in his sunlight. In the neverending arms of 2D, it felt as if he could right all the wrongs of this world.  
  
"Meryn?"  
  
Her name on his lips grounded her from floating away in the clouds.   
  
"Mmhm?"  
  
"How come yew ran aftah tha' cyborg earlier?", he asked in a muffled tone against her hair. Turning her head to speak clearly, she answered with a question of her own,"Didn't you see the look on her face?" Into the sweet smelling locks he sighed,"Yeah, I did." Serious, he drew away, lifting his head from the fragrance,"But I saw iht holdin' a gun t'yer head too." He was right. Under Murdoc's control, she had indeed been a trigger away from death more than once. "I know...", she admitted softly, recalling the many times she'd looked into the barrel of a gun. "I dunno wot t'fink", he thought out loud dropping his arms to his sides. "Aren't robots s'pposed t'be emotionless?", he pondered,"Or somefing?"  
  
Meryn shrugged,"I dunno..." Nothing to go on other than numerous movie tropes, she wasn't quite sure. "I've just never seen that look before...you know?", she trailed off, replaying the miserable expression the enigma wore. "Hmm", he thought for a moment, "Well, it was noice wha' yew said--I din't kno it could jus shut down loike tha...figuratively speakin'." Having more contact with the peculiar little robot, than Meryn, he didn't know where to begin with this new found discovery. Deeply in thought, Meryn threw the blanket around his body like a cape after his nonstop shivering had begun to make her worry. In silence, he shook his head grasping her frail wrist and guiding her along back to bed.  
  
She plopped onto the surface, bouncing in place with the springs below as he quickly tugged her shirt overhead without warning. "Mhh???", came muffled in inquiry, silenced only moments later in acceptance of whatever it was he was doing. Arms lifted up to aide him, the shirt slid off easily dropping all of her lush hair to frame the polka dotted bra overflowing with cleavage. In a few more seconds, the leggings were snatched down the length of her legs to be thrown aside with his own discarded clothing. Flashing a gap-toothed smile he winked lifting her legs over the edge and laying them out atop of the cool sheets.   
  
First hovering above her, the bloody irises scanned her scantily clad body stopping at the busty chest that was a tease to him just a couple hours ago. Fond of the soft mounds, he lowered his head placing a kiss in the valley. Rising he suddenly plopped by her side, pulling Meryn into his arms once again as the blanket fell into place over the both of their bodies. "Body heat is warmer than cloves", he sighed nuzzling against her from behind. Resting his chin on her shoulder, both arms engulfed her in his aura. Hands laid in a cross on her chest, 2D nuzzled close breathing deep,"It's noice t'have a gud sized bed t'sleep in." She cackled, vibrating with amusement in his grasp,"I had a completely different idea of what you were doing."  
  
"I'll get t'tha in a lil while", he announced more enamored with holding her for the time being. "Unless...you wan' me t'do it nao," hands suggestively grazed along, lining the rim of the bra on her back until he found the clasp that'd change the atmosphere once undone. "Tempting", she hummed playfully. His other hand glided beyond the underwire; his palm full of her warm pillowy flesh and his digits squeezing feverishly. Suddenly Meryn's breathing pattern changed, taking in more shallow breaths as his touch became more enticing. Once his fingers pinched at her sensitive peaks, it became apparent by her writhing squirm of a response that euphoria would be coming sooner than later. Mumbling something against her shoulder the bra was undone freeing the full breasts from their restraint. Fingers ran down Meryn's middle, grazing over ribs that heaved and tense abdominals, until diving in between the legs squeezed tightly together. In her silky heat, 2D smiled contently as he drew numerous spirals at the little pink bundle. 

  
Lips pressed against her neck firm and sweet, pecking and tongue kneading at her skin. Softly she mewled going limp at the fiery feeling that started up in her chest. As she settled against him, 2D sighed tenderly with a longing to melt within her love starved  walls. Heart beating a mile a minute, the teasing fingers stopped. Instead, they tended to guide the erection out of the flap of his briefs. Warm and hard against her backside, his hips came grinding forward pressing the eager flesh against the thin barrier of her bottom half. Thoughtfully, her panties were pushed aside. Her own sex partially exposed, felt the entirety of his length grazing back and forth. Grinding against her slippery sleeve, the small orifice just beyond was enticing. She softly moaned pressing back with the arching curve of her spine claiming every little push and pull that teased at her most sensitive skin. 2D moaned squeezing his voids shut, taking ragged breaths as she continued the rhythm that slowly masturbated him enough to claim the precum that escaped. His tone hitched in bliss and he could take this teasing back and forth no longer, he lifted her leg slightly, just enough to push through and smoothly plunge into her world. "Hah", he panted lovingly laying cheek to cheek with her. Back arched and her thigh in the grasp of his large hand, Meryn moaned suddenly heavy-lidded as he thrust up into her.  
  
Backward and forward, her body felt everything. Every single detail of his cock pressing deep and sliding along the tight space. The base and cushion of his straining lightly haired anatomy patting against the entrance. Stuffed fully inside, he pressed relentlessly for a moment, loving the way the barrier that was her cervix felt to his secondary head. "Ah-h", she inhaled sharply finding the simple task of exhaling to be impossible when he was pressing things she didn't know she had. Bony hips swaying from side to side impossibly deep teasingly hitting every part of her walls. Meryn writhed and squirmed eyes halfway rolling back in her head until he finally let up. Bringing his hips back, he wound forward starting up a consistent motion that allowed the woman to breathe easy. "Mnnh", she moaned aloud on sheer bliss. Light kisses pecked against her jaw in between his own trembling pants for air. One hand still fondling her breast and the other ensuring continued access to her addicting sleeve.  
  
"Hmm", 2D's low moan came reverberating into her ear. His voice drenched in yearning rumbled against her throat, only muffled by the suckle of lapping and playful biting. Gradually the grip on her thigh lessened and disappeared altogether, taking place along the curve of her wide hip. Meryn needn't be told, she simply resumed very much happy to prop her own leg if it meant the sensation would never stop. From the defined curve to the smooth dip of her waistline, 2D's hand grazed unable to pick or settle on what part of her needed his attention. In a somewhat frustrated grumble, he gave up finding that wrapping both arms around her and holding her feminine form in place was just as fulfilling. Faster he went nestling in the crook of her neck again completely heated and erratic. Warmth escaped from the spaces of missing teeth as they clenched together at the rising feeling that demanded to be satisfied. "G-Gawd-Oh Gawd...", he panted out heavily, squeezing his eyes shut. Inhaling the confectionary scent, his lungs filled with the scent of Meryn distributing the essence of her life to every blood cell that hurriedly pumped throughout his body. The loving sounds of her tiny shrieks and the aching whines resonated around him and made beautiful music. More and more he gladly lost himself inside her, Meryn's trembling body held tight with strong arms clutching wherever they could.  
  
_Harder._  
  
As if he read her mind, sharp jabs pressed into her. Meryn smiling along as she was taken higher and higher. "You're gonna make me cum", she declared giggling and moaning at the same time. 2D chuckled, peeking out one narrowed void to the woman made silly on her side below,"Mmyeah?" Hands suddenly went everywhere following his erratic line of sight, roaming her breasts and traveling the length of her hourglass figure. But at long last his forearms boxed her in. Cuddling from behind he sighed pressing his flushed cheek against her own. The embrace was firm and showed no sign of loosening. Not until the both of them touched heaven. Her lips mashed together, trying to withhold her feverish audio. Whimpers and shrill whines bellowed regardless of her futile attempts bringing a wide grin to his face. Eyes shut tight, 2D kicked the pace into overdrive. Teeth clenched hard and every ram inside her resulting in harsh language muttered through the imperfect bridgework. "Awhh-AH!", Meryn cried out enduring and committing the ride to memory. Teary-eyed she was moaning nonstop, a few small screams exiting her mouth freely. The womanly anatomy tugged and dragged him helplessly as he teetered on the edge of his climax. His head reeling and aqua colored hair matted in vigorous lovemaking, 2D reached his limit. Vision foggy he gasped out incomplete sentences in warning,"Oh-Auh-I'm-I'm gonna--"  
  
Meryn closed her eyes and let the waves come crashing over her. Her form gone stiff within his unyielding grasp and jolting at the tremors of her orgasm. Desperately she gasped, shakily whimpering and cooing until her body lacked a spirit. The convulsions clenched and claimed all he had pent up inside. "Aa-AHH", 2D shouted gritting his teeth as he burst and let himself overflow. Lower lip bitten into he held on impossibly tight while his seed took over her little aching sleeve and emptied out from its twitching blue-pubed origins. Rapid thrusts slowed and 2D sighed in relief relaxing his straining hold. Head tilted against hers, he breathed mellowed out with a dumb look on his face,"I missed doin' tha'..." Prickly legs intertwined with hers, the embrace now gentle, calmed the flames burning up inside her. Brown eyes shut, she smiled weakly nodding in agreement,"Cigarette?"  
  
"Huh?", he asked too in the clouds to use context clues. A single finger pointed to his pants thrown in the corner of the room, his other addiction hung out from the pocket he stuffed full before leaving the underwater hell. "Hmm", he lazily peeked out of a single squinted eye,"Yew know me so well." But...content in being wrapped up in each other, he didn't particularly want to disrupt the serenity that followed their release. "I'll do it aftah a quick nap", he yawned wide smacking his lips. "Also...", black eyes peered down at her momentarily," About tha' cyborg..." Dorkish and bubbly he chuckled flashing gold crowns,"Coz yer such a sweetheart, I came up wiff a lil idea jus nao!" Attentively his eyes opened wide,"I can tell yer real worried bout it...or...uh her...so um--" He went blank, mouth ajar and trying to remember what it was he was talking about. The look on his face searching for the thought he just had a second ago made her smile.   
  
"Oh! Yeah! Rioght...", he shook his head to keep himself awake. At least enough to finish the statement. "Wot if we pulled a Ferris Bueller on 'er? Ya know? Played hooky?", 2D suggested trying his very best to keep his eyes open. "Hm", Meryn shrugged in consideration turning slightly to place a sweet kiss on his rosy cheek. "Muah", she pecked, returning to her side. "Hehe", he blushed several shades of red returning the sentiment with a peck back. "Sounds like fun", she answered in a low mumble drifting off into a light slumber, "We could all use a breather."


	49. Dare

"Hnn", 2D groaned half awake. Awoken by the sound of several noisy seagulls squawking as they flew round and round outside the window. Lazily, he scratched his chin lined with short prickly hairs whilst yawning big and wide. Smacking his lips, he blinked himself awake stretching his abnormally long limbs and flexing his toes. A now flaccid sex organ had yet to be put away and still resided along the woman soundly sleeping beside him. With a hefty sigh, he tucked himself away nuzzling back up to Meryn's sleeping form. The air was a lot cooler above their underwater cell. 'Maybe', he considered, 'It has something to do with the gaping hole in the foyer?' 2D shrugged the thought away wrapping arms around her for warmth, resting his head against her own, in hopes of falling back asleep for just a bit longer. Grabbing around for the sheets that'd been tossed and turned throughout the night, he grumbled continuously grabbing at the air as if it'd find its own way between his fingertips. And somehow, it did.  
  
In between his index and elongated thumb, the chilled fabric was yanked being thrown over the both of them in two attempts.  
  
"Fhanks f' cooperating blanket", he mumbled to the inanimate object resting his eyes for a moment with a warm smile.  
  
The sound of whirring sounded from behind seemed to round the bed, a prominent clicking sound stopping right in front of them on their sides. "Hm?", 2D inquired aimlessly peeking through one lid. All he saw was white. Gradually, his not so great eyesight saw horizontal blue lines and the neat handwriting between them.  
  
'Wake up.'  
  
Blank staring eyes looked down at him through the tiny spaces in between bangs. Mouth tightly wound in almost a pout, the cyborg's expression was as unnatural and bizarre as always. 2D remained frozen there for a moment, staring back and delaying in response. Until suddenly, he sprung up from his comfortable position in fright. "AUGH AH- WHADDYA DOIN' SNOOPIN' ROUND!?", he shouted as his back slammed against the headboard with hands scrambling everywhere. Meryn stirred, immediately sitting up she came face to face with the android. It's mouth curved into a half smile, leaning forward to better greet the perplexing woman of interest, the corners of its lips twitching ever so slightly. "Uhh", Meryn awkwardly shook her head, going cross-eyed at the sudden invasion of personal space that jutted forward from where it stood at the edge of their shared bed. "Hello?", she nodded, slowly leaning backward in efforts to widen the distance. In an instant, it drew away scribbling something down, then shoving the infamous communication notebook into Meryn's face.  
  
'What is "hooky"?'  
  
Meryn blinked tilting her head past the page she was practically forced to read,"You heard that?" It answered with a simple nod, tapping its synthetic appendage against the page as if to repeat the question. "Wha-?!", 2D scoffed from directly behind,"Yew were listenin' in? Even back when-?" Cyborg Noodle turned its head slightly at the insertion of himself in their conversation launching the notebook into his face. So fast, too fast to comprehend, 2D got a face full of paper slapping him in his unsuspecting half-open mouth. A loud thwack sounded on collision and he whooped in shock flinching with his back slamming against the headboard once more.  
  
"HEY!", Meryn barked sitting up straight, no-nonsense being tolerated, especially after she'd just woken up. Brows furrowed, she frowned retrieving the crumpled up notebook that now sat in 2D's lap and swiftly hurling it back. No use. A quicker artificial hand caught the attack, silently shaking its head from side to side with a smug look on its face. "What the hell?", the woman scolded in defense of her flustered and forever targeted lover. Cyborg Noodle merely shrugged it off and incessantly pointed to the same question. Meryn stood, paying no mind to how she was barely dressed or how indecent the two of them looked in their underwear. "Look," she began, blatantly pushing the prodding notebook out of view," Acting out is not going to make me answer you." Meryn's arms crossed over her blossoming cleavage and a stern expression glared several inches down to the petite being. Her face was unyielding and frozen, talking to the poor ignorant thing like a child who'd done wrong. From where he sat 2D, peeked over the model-like stature and found himself surprised at the amount of consideration the little robot showed her. The face of Noodle went blank at first, eyes that were mostly hidden in the choppy bowl cut fringe seemed to be pondering something. Pupils flickering from left to right before giving in to the disciplinary measures.   
  
2D blinked in amazement at the odd happening. Grazing his fingers along a small stinging paper cut, he cautiously made his way off the bed. Slithering to the edge, and attempting to make only subtle movements, 2D's leg span eventually made it off the bed. Awkward and angular he stood hunched over and scratching the back of his head. Lower lip out in a pout of sorts, he bit into the flesh, now quite uncomfortable with the stare-down that seemed to go one forever. "Uh, I'm gonna g-go showah then...", he mumbled side stepping away in retreat. While the android seemed to relinquish its duties for the moment, he was still very much wary of its actions. Meryn had her stubborn tendencies, and this Cyborg was programmed by the man who constantly bullied him at every opportunity. A cyborg with a seemingly never-ending amount of firearms, and the female ticking time bomb that could explode without a warning. A thick block brow rose in thought. For some reason, the cyborg favored her, and never actually used the advantage it had against her. Observing the two, he surmised, that If anyone was in any sort of real danger, it was him. And as for his lover, it didn't seem she feared anything. The woman could have a gun pointed directly at her, and she'd still remain sturdy. Hell, it didn't seem out of character for Meryn to swat sudden death away. In fact, she'd probably manage to punch someone's lights out in the midst of it all. Even worse, he probably wasn't as exempt as he thought he was from her wrath.  
  
"Hah!"  
  
He snorted at the absurdity he'd thought up. He knew Meryn wouldn't purposely hurt him, but after she'd shown him how out of control she could be.....what would she do if she ever found out he'd been lying about the intensity of his feelings for her? 2D frowned leaning against the wall, suddenly afraid of more than the cyborg. Slowly he swiped at the bathroom door, a deer in headlights now that his inward fears got the best of him. And while he was worried, 2D wouldn't be sticking his nose in between their spat. Not if he wanted to remain unscathed. To his delight, neither of the girls paid him any mind, too wrapped up in the silent conflict to break away or respond. Backing into the bathroom he staring through the small crack of the door until his cowardice brought the door to a close.  
  
"First can you answer his question?", Meryn sighed a moment after his retreat, "Why were you listening to us?"  
  
Cyborg Noodle simply pointed to the upper corners of the room, promptly pointing to its perched synthetic ears immediately after. "Oh...", she murmured guessing what the charade meant. "This room is bugged isn't it?", she inquired, palming her forehead. Nodding ensued briefly as a response. "Is there a room that isn't bugged?", Meryn groaned dragging the open palm down her face. Quick handwriting answered the question.   
  
'No. Every room has implanted microphones. The island itself has camera surveillance. The B2 level has both.'  
  
Both hands clasped over Meryn's face as she plopped back onto the bed. Hunched forward she grumbled and complained into her hair. Not many words could be made out, even to the cyborg's all hearing ears. Muffled grunts and statements were acknowledged only at the constant mention of Murdoc's name. Meryn was had been made aware that they were being watched, but didn't quite know how to accept the priority he'd set for spying on the two of them. Apparently, snooping was a higher priority than the security of Plastic Beach to the dirty old green man. "At least it's not recorded...", she repeated to herself, she insisted on believing that. Pushing the locks out of her face, Meryn noticed the notebook seemingly floating directly in her line of sight.  
  
'It is recorded.'  
  
Onto the floor, she slumped throwing her head back against the bed frame. "Great."  
  
The cyborg tilted its head in question, only to dismiss its lack of understanding seconds later. The woman on the floor sat with her knees to her chest, grunting and murmuring gripes of disgust. Meryn seemed far too occupied with the ongoing revelations of how much the tyrant green man had been watching her, not caring enough to answer the one question that had gone unanswered for an allotted amount of time now. Again, the notebook was shoved in her face. She sighed rolling her eyes, pushing it away as calmly as she could. "It's like a getaway. Ignoring responsibilities and instead, doing something fun", Meryn waved her hand about and shrugged at the explanation. But the impressionable cyborg reflected the opposite. At the turn of a heel, it walked off eyeing the state of the room until its attention landed on the duffel bag off in the far corner of the room. On its own, it meandered over kneeling immediately in front of Meryn's belongings. With no disregard for personal boundaries, prosthetic hands dove into the disorganized trove. Eyeing and inspecting every little thing in order to understand its value. Over its shoulder, it looked to the woman holding up a short corseted floral dress.   
  
"Hm?", Meryn blinked herself to attention, trying to forget her concerns and occupy herself with something imminently simple in comparison. "Oh, that?", she groaned shaking the remainder of unnerving thoughts away. Pushing off the edge of the bed, Meryn stood, walking over a bit blithe and indifferent, "I never wear that thing...Not sure why I even brought it along in the first place..." Cautious, she knelt down beside the pondering little weapon, watching the way its artificial digits poked and tugged the stretchy fabric. "You can wear it if you want", she offered after a few moments of silence. Emerald green peered through fringe at her suggestion, somehow communicating with a wide-eyed stare.  
  
Meryn awkwardly shrugged standing to her towering posture. "I'll help you put it on", she said brightly extending a hand. The cool appendage was placed skeptically in the kind woman's own hand, the fingers curled around tight pulling the curious one to its feet. Wearing the same outfit for the past year, it couldn't help but be ignorant of the simple task. A surprisingly helpless look flashed over the replica's features, merely standing there observing as Meryn placed the article of clothing over its own petite body. "Hm...", she hummed with the dress held out in front of the body of a small young woman for review,"I think it'll look good on you." She hesitated slightly, bringing a shaky hand to push away the pesky fringe that hid away nostalgic leaf green eyes. The face uncovered was painful. The almond monolids narrowed adjusting at the daylight now fully experienced. The same old olive tone no longer shaded with black locks, this being before her was exactly Noodle.  
  
Meryn wearily smiled, her brown eyes threatening to overflow with tears. "Mmkay", she sniffled, pushing stray hairs behind the pretty little robot's perched ears. "Go on and take all this off", she cackled letting the bangs fall back where they lay, "I'm not undressing you." Cyborg Noodle's head turned surveying the forever interesting scantily clad woman as she turned on her bare heel and knelt back down to cycle through her bag. The left-hand fishing through her own things felt around for one thing in particular. No need to confirm the reason for the lack of movement from directly behind, Meryn looked out the corner of her eye waving her free hand about in an urging manner.   
  
The sound of shuffling followed, and it seemed the cyborg understood. It followed suit, removing the combat attire worn for far too long. Shorts fell to the ground and the shirt remained in its grasp. Never considering its own body underneath, it examined the false, but feminine attributes of a young adult. The tank top fell from its fingers, now more curious of the body parts of a female human. One of the only women it had contact with had a far different physique, that was made abundantly clear once its eyes compared the small bits below to the accentuated ones of the woman shuffling through the bag on her knees.   
  
"Aha!", Meryn exclaimed rising back to stand. She turned to face the less experienced being with a few hair clips in hand. "Here," she said quickly placing them in its palm,"Squeeze, and then lift both arms above your head." For some reason, the woman was having difficulty maintaining eye contact. It was much like the face her creator made in the early attempts of maintenance. His hand would hover over her bare back and he'd cry out with disgust shaking his head rapidly from side to side. After so many failed attempts, he gave up and instead let the cyborg plug itself in at the end of the day. It went without trouble, until the outlets on the back of its head, covered in copious amounts of ironically stolen but donated human hair required assistance. It obeyed, grasping the colorful clips in hand and lifting its appendages overhead.   
  
Peeking through one eye, Meryn avoided looking directly at the bare body. Staring just past the cyborg and focusing on the door instead, she gathered the pleats of the gray flowery dress and slid spaghetti straps along its arms, pulling until the confused expression of the cyborg popped out from the head opening. She almost laughed at the strange look on Cyborg Noodle's face, yanking the rest down to cover up the rest of its frail form. "There," she opened both eyes completely with a sigh of relief to view the brand new individual. The fit was a little off, and the length a bit longer on lesser legs. Still.  
  
Meryn smirked, adjusting the hemline of the stretchy material to completely cover the lack of undergarments on smallish, but still obvious bumps on its chest. Only a little loose around the chest and less form-fitting than on herself, it was actually a good look. Retrieving the different colored clips from its hand, she pushed aside the bangs, fastening the largest one to meet the long hair that helped frame the rest of its face. Discombobulated, Cyborg Noodle managed a convincing frown swatting away the hands smoothing her hair. It walked off on its own for the mirror, shooting an unreadable glare over its shoulder. A little disappointed, Meryn shrugged returning to the bag of clothes,"Well...I like it."  
  
"You don't have to wear it if you don't like it", she sighed, stepping into a fresh pair jeans. Bouncing in place, she forced snug denim up the length of her thighs eventually fastened the button and zipper with ease once they were hugging her hips. Hop after hop, she wiggled her hips stretching the skinny jeans to avoid any restricted movement later on. Over her head, a simple striped camisole slid down the remaining exposed skin of Meryn's unclothed form. Long violet hair sprung out from where it was tucked in with her arm sweeping it from the confines of the shirt and released bundles of curls down her back. Releasing a brisk stream of air from her lips, Meryn crossed her arms, cupping each elbow in the palm of her hand. Incessant thoughts of the absent green man resurfaced causing a worrisome bite into her lower lip. While it was obvious that Murdoc was a raging pervert, Meryn found it continuously difficult to imagine him having any genuine feelings for her. Scowling, she sought for a concise answer regarding the subject. If there were any time to query about it, it would be now while 2D was behind the bathroom door.  
  
Meryn whistled through the small gap between her front teeth. Pivoting to face the one who had the answers she was looking for, she opened her mouth to speak but stopped short. Completely preoccupied with its own reflection, Cyborg Noodle spun from left to right like a princess holding out the pleats on each side with perhaps the most bored expression ever seen. No matter how interesting the contrast of a girly summer dress on a forever expressionless face, it brought a smile to Meryn's face. The thin bodied machine randomly tugged the thin straps of the hand-me-down dress, stretching the flexible fabric as it was suddenly yanked down. A plain sight that she wished she hadn't seen flashed before her unsuspecting eyes. "Hey! If you're going to wear it, don't pull it so low!", Meryn exclaimed shading her view with a single hand. The counterfeit Noodle ignored the pleas to cover up. Yanking this way and that way, it seemed to be thoroughly entertained with seeing its own synthetic skin in a reflection.  
  
"Hey, Kat?"  
  
Meryn's gaze shot to the bathroom door. Peering out of the crack, 2D waved about in need of assistance. "I forgot moi shampoo down in tha' bunker, so lemme use tha gud stuff yew 'ave!", he smirked patting his wet mop hair," Makes me hair feel loike soft feathers!"  
  
She didn't answer. Couldn't answer. What he failed to notice, was in his left peripheral. It only made its presence known at the sharp turn of its head spun around 180 degrees. Piercing green irises stared with its head on backward, sporting a typical disturbing jumble of basic human expressions. And as if that wasn't enough to scare him, the two raised bumps lined by inaccurately placed straps did the trick. From oblivious and breezy to remote and scarred, 2D lagged dropping the friendly hand by his side. Instantly tight-lipped, his eyes widened and his already pale body went white; only closing the door once his soul returned to his body from fright. Meryn dragged her hand down her face, pulling her lids and lips along the way before she threw her head back and groaned,"...You need a jacket."

* * *

  
**thud...thud...thud...**  
  
2D stood lifeless banging his head against the wall every second after Meryn practically dragged him out from hiding in the bathroom. A sigh from behind was followed by silence, courtesy of an open palm sliding in between the man and his wall. But the padding of her hand won't stop him from openly expressing the horror he'd witnessed. "It's fine now, she's wearing the jacket," Meryn sighed, a bit exhausted all of a sudden, even with the first good night of sleep in months. 2D insisted on the cyborg wearing one of his jackets since every attempt in the past 10 minutes was met with resistance from the both of them. Meryn's tried to help, offering plenty of hoodies, but the cyborg with a new found fashion sense flat out refused to cover up the dress that freed it of its intended purpose. The compromise? Wearing 2D's favorite denim jacket, as it apparently was to the cyborg's liking. It didn't matter to him at this point, as long as it covered an adequate amount of skin.  
  
Stuck in the middle, Meryn couldn't help but notice a similar distress coming from the deadly girly-girl kicking its feet at the edge of the bed. Fitting the handy notebook in 2D's pocket, it removed several empty candy wrappers and ash dusting it all onto the carpet until satisfied. With a single rehearsed nod, marking its approval, Cyborg Noodle flipped to the next page scribbling a new bit of dialogue.  
  
'I'm ugly?'  
  
Meryn frowned, her brows furrowing together in frustration,"N-no." Considering how difficult it was for either of them to look her in the eye, the inference it gathered made sense no matter how incorrect it was. On the spot, she struggled for words trying to explain their behavior and quickly set the record straight. "You're not ugly, it's just...", Meryn's wrist twirled wracking her brain,"It's just that neither of us are used to seeing you like that..." She looked at 2D for help, but the man had yet to cease banging his head, even at the cushioned landing against her hand. Attentively, the android meticulously placed its hands on its knees, checking for a symmetrical placement whilst waiting for an elaboration. "Uh...well", Meryn started up again," Friends don't show each other certain parts of themselves--Or um...Girls are supposed to cover up?" It was funny, she found herself rambling like 2D would at a time like this, but alas the answer only sprouted more inquiry.  
  
'We are friends? So are the two of you.'  
  
"Y-Yeah, but its a bit more complicated than that...", Meryn retorted. Her shoulders fell at the thought of having to explain relationships and boundaries. "2D and I are together so, we can...do...that...", it was even more cringy coming out of her own mouth. Back and forth, exposed leaf colored eyes watched the pair carefully. The eccentric love interest of her maker, and the blue-haired ditz that held Gorillaz' success in his bumbling idiot hands. A completely embarrassed smile twitched and tugged at the corners of Meryn's lips, while 2D suddenly stopped bashing his head and merely hung there once he'd read the question from the corner of his narrowed eyes. Just looking at them, an observation was made. Something about them was...wrong. Some inconsistency that its servers couldn't translate into comprehend-able terms.  
  
Eyes squinted, a different subject was touched upon.  
  
'The real Noodle is a girl. What makes me a girl?'  
  
"I- That--That's too open-ended a question...having girl parts doesn't all the time mean you identify as a girl", Meryn shrugged shaking her head decidedly dismissing any further clarification.  
  
'If friends don't expose themselves, why were you wearing nothing when you woke up?'  
  
"I was wearing something!", she clapped back," And you showed up unannounced!"  
  
'Your chest is always showing.'  
  
Meryn scoffed, stammering over her words,"IT'S N- It's not always showing! I wear shirts with V-necks or tanks but-"  
  
'Then why can't I!'  
  
She stalked over, letting 2D's head resume its bashing. "I don't yank at my shirts til the point my entire boob is out!", barked out as Meryn thwacked the pesky gray strap the cyborg had been pulling at earlier. It snapped at its slender frame, which caused an uproar of mechanical sounds at the abrupt stance it took a near foot below. "Ah!", the man's head collided with the wall at the sudden absence of a soft barrier. "Wuld yew two stahp iht!?",  2D's voice cracked at such a volume, gaining the immediate attention from the bickering two. His lengthy index fingers rubbed at the temples of his forehead as he changed his stance, leaning his back against the wall. "Look, Cyborg Newdle...Fingy,  none of this matters cept one fing", he groaned in the midst of a migraine. "Nevah. And I mean nevah, show off yer girly bits again", 2D's expression went stern, the two void like orbs narrowing into a glare. Seconds later, he lost his nerve shrinking in posture the way both girls stared back at him. Voice lowered to a pleading mumble, his aggression faded to a meek reiteration, "I just...It's loike seein' moi sister in a birfday suit..."  
  
Caught off guard, the man-made human lowered its posturing stance, rounding out shoulders to a lax position, 'Fine then, onto the next concern.' "Ughhh", a groan of the same frequency and origin boomed from the fatigued twosome and vibrated off the walls. It hadn't even been a full 24 hours since their temporary freedom and already relating with the cyborg proved to be a demanding job.  
  
'How does one go about initiating in "hooky"?'  
  
2D and Meryn exchanged confused glances to one another. It was strangely worded and left them nudging at each other for a simple answer. He shrugged cluelessly of how to begin, raising a brow to the woman expectingly. Meryn silently threw her head back admittedly becoming annoyed with the entirety of the endless questioning. "Uh", she started off sighing, running a hand through her hair," It's something you just...do. Basically."  
  
'O.K.'  
  
And that was it. No indication or gesture, the cyborg marched off stomping in its combat boots. Out the door, out of sight and mind. "Phew", burst from 2D in a fit of exasperation. "Feels loike moi head's gonna s'plode...", he proclaimed, retrieving the carton of cigarettes still untouched since the heat of the night before. Meryn moaned and groaned out loud getting a headache herself,"That's probably because you've been banging your head against the wall." She looked out of the side of her eyes questioning how good an idea that was for someone that constantly got headaches. "Yeah well, it called fo'it--How culd I nawt?!", he shouted grabbing his spiky hair. "Got flashed by a Newdle robot, and then--!", he paused becoming increasingly animated. "Then it's bloody head turnt back at me--L-Loike the exorcist!", 2D winced and threw his hands into the air,"I din't even know it culd DO tha'!"  
  
"Me neither", Meryn shrugged, inwardly complaining as she rounded the bed to stare out the window. Hoping for the solace of looking out at the deep shade of blue that spanned out in every direction, she took a deep breath closing her eyes for a moment. On exhale, they reopened and the view of the ocean greeted her with a sunny gleam. Trailing off to the lower left, Meryn couldn't help but notice a familiar gray dress blowing in the ocean breeze.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Wot?", 2D's head swiveled in her general direction. A fresh cigarette in the gap of his missing teeth, it teetered and tottered at the flick of his tongue. "I think she meant now", Meryn said plainly caught in a staring contest with the cyborg several stories below. Flicking the trigger of his lighter, it sparked a few times, but no flame. "Hnn", he complained with his mouth wound up in a pout, flipping the lighter shut. Meryn remained frozen, straight-faced and listless in the ongoing silent communication. "D", she said a little louder. "Hm? Yeah, Kat?", he jumped only then responding to his name.  
  
"I think she meant now. As in, RIGHT now."  
  
2D's head tilted in question, the cigarette hanging out of his mouth,"Whaddya mean?" Aimless, he joined Meryn by her side and flinched at the piercing stare. Standing in the middle of the Plastic Beach dock, legs apart and arms folded, the cyborg looked like a simple teen in such a trendy get up. Summer dress, jean jacket, combat boots and the white clip pinning back fringe, that graced them with the face of Noodle herself. However, the pretty summer wear did nothing to diffuse the absolute terror of weapon draped over and fastened with overlapping straps and holsters. "She wasn't standing there before, she just keeps getting closer and closer to the boat."  
  
_The boat._  
  
"F-FH-SH!", Meryn suddenly stared at 2D with wide open flabbergasted eyes. "W-Wot?!", he asked being shaken back and forth. "This is our chance to get the FUCK outta here!", she shouted nearly having a panic attack in all the excitement. Bouncing in place like a rabbit, she grasped both his wrists urging him to come along as she disappeared from the window view. "Awgh-hh-hh d-dON't shAke me!", he stuttered all over, tongue hanging from his rattled squiggled lips. "S-Sorry!", she released him, watching in guilt as his head spun around on its axis. "N-No! This is gud!", he grinned wide holding his head in place, waiting for his dizzied vision to return to normal,"I can finally get sum propah' meds and smoke whenevah I wan'!"   
  
_There he is._  
  
Whenever 2D graced her with a genuine smile, Meryn couldn't help but grin back. From ear to ear, the two of them cheesed in glee. So hard in fact that it was beginning to hurt. "Ooouw", she whined unable to stop, hands pressing the cramping facial muscles together she snickered through clenched teeth,"My face hurts!" 2D narrowed one eye to a squint; suave, charming, and admiring her dorkish tendencies.  For a split second, his expression changed, contemplating what would happen upon their keeper's return. "Wha' bout Murdoc...", he started to consider the consequences, only to come to another conclusion instead. A mischievous air changed the atmosphere. "Nevahmind", he lowered his head meek yet daring, a small smile on his face like a child pretending to be ignorant. "You're right...", Meryn half-smiled. For some reason, she shuddered. Something about abandoning Murdoc rubbed her the wrong way. Against her better judgment, Meryn smirked silently exchanging an audacious glance. Brown eyes flickered to the corners of the room, marking the placement of each camera. She leaned in with an ulterior motive, whispering the jist in the small space between them barely moving her lips.   
  
It took a moment or two, but he understood. As a grin stretched across his face, he kept his eyes on her and played along closing in the distance. Digits in her hair, he tilted her head and welded their lips together. They'd been openly insubordinate, but careful wording wouldn't be understood to the walking surveillance system. And besides, it was only a matter of time before Cyborg Noodle ditched the satanic overlord and sought out a life of self-rule. Ending the lip lock, 2D murmured against her parted lips,"I'll play it kewl." She wavered as he lingered tenderly against her lips, heart skipping a beat and the air stolen from her lungs. As he pulled away, he winked releasing Meryn from his caressing grasp.  
  
"Rioght then!", he chirped,"Let's play hooky."


	50. Spaceman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I wanted to make this chapter longer, but I'm writing in bursts because school is kicking my ass lately.

A plume of smoke exited 2D's lungs and dissipated as he took in the fresh oceanic air, not a whiff of the garbage mass that Gorillaz called home. The unnatural blinding pink of Plastic Beach was long gone and replaced with several shades of blue. His own cerulean spikes rustled in the sea breeze a rich vibrant color. Meryn looked on finding the blue atop his head more breathtaking than the ocean and sky spread out as far as the eye could see. Perched on the railing, 2D's smile was wider than she'd ever seen. Gold crowns, irregular spaces, and all; everything about him was beautiful. Elbows leaning against the metal pole, he kept his balance flinging his head backward to admire to clear sky.

His brow flinched and he began to squint in the rays of the sun. Voids lit up in the brilliance, no longer a opaque deep obsidian, but transparent. Stunning rustic red irises gleamed through the darkness like a marble design. Carefree, 2D tapped the cigarette against the rail, ridding the ash of the lit end into the ocean. Not a care in the world, the stick was casually placed back between his lips. Inhale and exhale, he sighed with clouds escaping from the gaping space of his missing front teeth. Leisurely, he turned his head on its axis. Eyes narrowed and a cool expression on his face his attention landed on the mystified young woman who'd been watching him for some time.

"Hm? Wot?", he blinked, returning to his vacant air headed stare. Meryn jumped, snapping out of the trance. Rapidly shaking her head from side to side, violet colored curls and waves of varying sizes flung about everywhere, hiding away her bashful grin at the ongoing breeze and retreating turn of her head. 2D's head tilted obliviously, a brow momentarily rising in question, only to dismiss the inquiry moments later. He chuckled with a smirk beginning to tug at his lips mumbling under his breath a fondness for her,"Weirdo."

A couple hours at sea and no one had said much. As they sailed away, Meryn looked back over her shoulder with seemingly sorrowful eyes at the bright pink prison they'd inhabited for almost a year. The way her almond shaped eyes narrowed only slightly with a distant considering stare was something he couldn't put a finger on. 2D was the exact opposite, looking forward to the future he couldn't waste his new found freedom by glancing back to the shitty past. Happy to leave the horrid entrapment behind, he didn't mind saying goodbye to the majority of his belongings. They'd all been tainted the terrible experience anyhow. The pair packed light in order to keep up the ruse, it'd be far too suspicious to attempt and bring along everything they owned.  
  
Voids traveled to the small humanoid who appeared to be rather content steering the boat. Not by any expression, but because of the simple fact, it had done nothing else for so long. Firearms and various assortments of swords still remained strapped at its back, the top of its messy haired head peeked out from behind. A few hours ago, Meryn tried to hold a conversation with it, but alas it never responded. No amount of talking or taking turns waving hands in front of its face worked and left the two of them exchanging puzzled looks. Even weirder, the crowd of fatigued seaside birds that landed on and around the cyborg hours ago had returned. Staring straight forward, frozen in place with the exception of an occasional steering of the helm, 2D was beginning to think it had broken. Either that, or it was on autopilot as Meryn jokingly suggested.  
  
"Ugh", he groaned a little restlessly flicking the butt of his finished cigarette into the ocean,"Been ridin' these waves f'hours..."  
  
Peering over her shoulder, Meryn shrugged sweeping as much hair behind her ears as she could manage in the midst of the blustering moist air,"It's only another hour or so." He pouted,"Oh yeah, yew came wiff Murdoc back then..." Head lowered, he paused letting his imagination get the best of him. Unlike himself, there was no need for Murdoc to kidnap her, after all, she had come to Plastic Beach on her own accord. Just Meryn and Murdoc, alone in the middle of the ocean on their way to an island getaway. True; the "island getaway" was a spray painted trash heap, and Murdoc had never been successful in any of his attempts. Still, 2D couldn't help but be paranoid. Especially after Cyborg Noodle flat out confirmed the green man's intentions. Ever since Murdoc threatened to not only expose his lies but also steal away the only thing that kept him somewhat sane in imprisonment, 2D was on edge.  
  
He plastered on a painfully fake smile trying to save face, but even then he couldn't control his mouth from speaking out the deep-rooted insecurities within. "H-He probably flirted wiff ya looooads tha' whole way or somefink...!", the assumption tumbled from his quivering bottom lip. Unsure of where he'd gotten the gall, 2D boldly stepped forward closing in the distance between them. Arms wrapped around her from behind as he sheepishly rested his chin atop her head. "I um..hope he woz noice t'ya at least", he continued with an underlying bitterness in his thick accented drawl. He didn't need to shift in posture to place his chin comfortably on her pillowy hair. She was the perfect height to just lean onto for support. They fit like two pieces of a puzzle, it had to be a match made in heaven!  
  
The weight above bobbed as he rambled a passive-aggressive play by play of the trip from almost a year prior. The bass backing his concerns vibrated in her ears as he spoke in an erratic fluctuating volume. Meryn sighed, halfway rolling her eyes at his continued paranoia, only stopping short when his arms suddenly squeezed tighter. Wiry forearms were firmly draped over her chest in an affectionate embrace, but that swiftly changed once his hands grazed over and under her clothed mounds. She merely sighed again, relaxing her weight against the hardness of 2D's chest. His bony build supported her like an unmovable pillar, and he seemed to take pride in that by the way he hummed into her hair.   
  
Meryn's hands grasped his own, stopping the roaming dead in its tracks. "Well, Murdoc is Murdoc", she answered plainly and grumbling at the end of her words. "You don't need to feel threatened by him when it comes to me", Meryn started, shrugging out of his arms. "Look, D...", she turned to face him but trailed off at the dejected slumped shouldered 2D that she found. Wanting to see the carefree man from moments ago, she held his hands just before they fell to his sides. "Hey...", Meryn playfully jerked him forward offering a kind smile. "Why are you so worried?", she whimpered in frustration struggling to maintain it before long. His lips parted slightly as if there was something he needed to say, but the small space closed too soon. Her smile turned into a frown at his lack of response and Meryn buried her face in his chest. She groaned into the fabric of his shirt suddenly throwing her arms around his willowy body.  
  
It definitely got a reaction, but the only telltale was the way his heart skipped a beat in surprise from the force of the hug. He'd gone numb in a panic. The struggle of teetering on the edge of the truth and finding the courage to speak it. He was knowingly lying the same lie that he'd released as he lay atop her shivering on the floor of their forgotten quarters some months ago. Everything was stacking up against him, two separate individuals able to see through him, and the innocent smile of Meryn herself obliviously setting herself up for pain and utter disappointment. And even while he could easily say he felt something for her, his failure to identify it made abundantly clear that 2D had no idea what he was doing. One thing he was sure of was the parasitic jealousy that chewed away at the already false foundation of their relationship.  
  
Her presence was warmer than the sun's rays, and as she rest against his stiff guilty frame, Meryn's energy caused his heart to continuously flutter. Her head turned and an ear listening for communication from his heart to hers, 2D dreaded the betrayal of his beating organ. "D?", she said his name and sent shock waves through his body. He shuddered and finally returned the sentiment with his arms snaking around her. "S-Sorry", 2D stuttered clearing his throat of the lump lodged inside. He squeezed tight with urgency, afraid of being found out and afraid of ruining their union. While problematic from time to time, their differences made things interesting. He hadn't enjoyed being with one person for so long, after the slew of women who had come and gone it all became dreadfully pointless. Personal differences didn't apply to his uncountable one-night stands, and with the two women he actually liked, 2D learned the hard way that his feelings were irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.   
  
There were many words that old flames used to describe him. All of them flattering, yet bleak and borderline insulting.  
  
Sweet. Charming. A ladies-man. Talented. Handsome. Thick. Stupid. Strange. Dumb. Useless.  
  
For as long as he'd been old enough to chat a girl up and ask her on a date, he'd gotten the short end of the stick. At 32 years of age, he was doing no better romantically than when he'd started at 13. Interesting girls came and went with the seasons. His first love and lay, a pretty girl who was one year ahead of him had been nothing but mean to the young Stu Pot. His big blue eyes remained wide with wonder as he was shown the way of the world through physical companionship and got lost in the multicolored cosmos of space. He'd gone up an astronaut with an experienced traverser of worlds holding his hand as they left Earth's atmosphere, but wound up floating alone in the darkness of deep space. Left behind, and forgotten, 2D witnessed the shuttle rocketing off back down without him. Leaving him to figure out how to return home as he clawed for the presence of someone else in the universe to simply wait for him.  Gradually he'd come down from the clouds and plummet back to Earth, only to find that the traverser of worlds was long gone and he was alone with only his migraines to keep him company.  
  
It happened every time, falling out of the sky arms flailing and sobbing for someone to catch him. Eventually, he stopped clawing back to Earth and settled on the surface of the moon. His own personal world, that anyone was free to visit. He'd be there in his space suit with a silly smile, waving "hello" and "goodbye" to any woman that visited, content with observing the lives and loves of everyone back on Earth. Now a front man and treasured lead singer of a world-renowned band, countless women flocked and overstayed their welcome until little blue headed children blipped into existence.  
  
The lone astronaut still waved down to everyone back on Earth, but his big silly smile was replaced with a teary eyed frown.  
  
Painkillers orbited around his personal escape, along with the new presence of three people who'd found him.  
  
A part of something now, his bandmates came to visit him often. Noodle and Russel in their respective space suits had friendly grins plastered on their faces. Murdoc would float by from time to time scowling, flicking him off, and chucking moonstones in his general direction. Even when he was winning, he was still losing. But thankfully, 2D the astronaut had plenty of time to dodge. His home on the moon slowed the speed of projectiles and made insults impossible to hear. He might've felt a phantom impact, or imagined a voice whispering, "Faceache" directly into his space helmet but nothing close to the real mental or physical pain of a bully.  
  
  
"Hey...", Meryn shifted against him grazing an open palm along across shivering pecs. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to...", she trailed off, mouth slanted and eyes heavily lidded. As accommodating and accepting as ever, Meryn never overstayed her welcome. She'd been waving at him down on Earth, never having visited her penpal in outer space. 2D the astronaut had seen her so many times through his telescope, always alone. In efforts to change that, he'd invited her up. Together they roamed the surface of the moon, bouncing along, and then rolling around kicking up moondust with their legs intertwined in the craters. But as Meryn tried to wave "goodbye" and drift back alone, he leapt answering, "I love you" instead.  
  
His hand extended and their fingers laced together. As she fell, he fell with her. Where they wound up was in between. Being pulled into the gravitational field he escaped from years ago, 2D was leaving behind his astronaut self. Hand and hand with Meryn, he couldn't help but peer over his shoulder at the safety he was giving up. The astronaut missing its soul frantically flailed beckoning him to return. His heart was back on the moon, and the closer he got to the planet, the more his soul began to fade. It wouldn't be long before Meryn opened her eyes at the fleeting sight, and come to realize that she had never truly had him but rather a cruel cowardly mirage that would let her plummet back down to Earth. Much like he had long ago.  
  
2D blinked to the reality that he found himself in. The powerful urge to panic and fall apart in her arms begging to be forgiven had his knees shaking whilst threatening to buckle under pressure. "Uh", he sniveled slightly taking a deep breath. "I-I-Well--", he tripped over his words absolutely graceless. The only thing that kept him from falling was a mere downward glance. Warm spice eyes watched him carefully and attentively. Her kissable lips in a worried pout and brows beginning to curve with sadness. Meryn's head tilted up at him with her body still loyal to his own. A burning pain in his throat made swallowing more difficult than before and his nerve continued to fall apart. "Uh-um--", voids looked everywhere for help but kept finding her. Only her.  
  
His heart in his mouth, 2D parted his lips to speak, staring intently into a rich brown. He peered closer and closer until he could focus on nothing but loving her the only real way he knew how. Meryn was taken back a bit by the unannounced pressure of his lips to hers. It was different than usual. Fueled by something, some sort of pain or an apology. Dark eyes shut tight, and fingertips clenching nervous yet cautious as if begging her for something. He whimpered a sigh against her soft padded lips caressing and grazing over her jawline into her hair. The small of her back supported by the vine-like grip of his arm and the open hand that clenched tight. His lips parted and started a mind-numbing rhythm that she mirrored back in soft bobs. 2D's hand placed on her back tilted her backward towards the railing and Meryn's hands shot up to drape over his shoulders. Tenderness expressed in that connection, a push and pull that never wanted to end was poetry lingering on their lips.  
  
"Hah!", Meryn drew away gasping for air. His heart was in pain, but her quirks always managed to make 2D smirk. "Hehe", he chuckled with her lips brushing against his own in eagerness to continue the lavish joining. In his peripheral, he spotted something far off in the distance. An incoming skyline lined by sandy shores. True freedom was near for the both of them. What that entailed, he would have to decide on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sad now.


	51. Unrequited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy subject incoming. Consider before reading.

Fingers tapped against the wooden bar watching the tiny crowd of patrons on a Monday night. They each seemed to have a similar look in their eyes, that look being fatigue and perhaps a hint of self-hatred. Hearing his own native tongue after a year at sea, the British accents of a peculiar gathering of people was comforting somehow and reminded him of his jailbird days. Robbing, scamming, driving around recklessly, each heinous activity fueled by spirits of some kind. Murdoc leaned back feeling warmed up by the latest poison that slithered down his throat. The offshore makeshift island was experiencing summer, while back home in England winter was to stick around for months to come. He snarled a bit at the downside, he'd be experiencing a second winter once he went back.  
  
Unkempt nails ran through greasy hair, snagging on the sharper edges. "Oi!", he called out to anyone in ear range manning the bar, "Another Grey Goose-Oh and bring over an ashtray!" The youngest bartender of the bunch jumped to attention, she fumbled over her own feet searching around for the bottle right in front of her. Murdoc merely rolled his human and demon eyes resting his head in the open palm of his hand. Sat alone a ridiculous hundred miles or so from the Gorillaz HQ, the green man crash landed the helicopter he'd spent a good amount of his insurance money on. It turns out flying head-on at a supernatural entity had its own set of consequences. Case and point, plummeting to the North Chilean shores in a fiery explosion. He'd escaped the worst jumping out into the ocean before impact and remained mostly unscathed. He didn't care anymore anyhow, a normal commercial flight was a thousand times better than piloting the damn thing. Eyes narrowing in impatience, he observed the bumbling idiot ways of the young woman. Searching high and low flashing panicked wide-eyed looks of being under pressure.   
  
"Hmfhh", he grunted, settling on what the display reminded him of,"Fuckin' 2-Dents."  
  
At long last, he sighed. Decidedly reaching over the bar he grabbed the neck of the bottle himself twisting off the top and helping himself to the remaining half.   
  
The petite woman looked on in shock, her hands raised and flinching with uncertainty,"I-You can't do that-I'll get in trouble!"   
  
Murdoc shrugged downing the entirety of the bottle's contents in an alarming amount of time. On the last drop, he tapped the base of the glass bottle slamming it down to the wooden surface,"Well then you shouldn't have taken so long sweetheart. Doesn't matter now of course." He motioned to the empty Grey Goose,"It's gone." Warily she nodded, excusing herself from her duties for a cry break in the bathroom no doubt. "Really...", he shook his head dragging over the ashtray that the one had neglected to,"If I WAS going to tip, she wouldn't be getting a cent with this piss poor performance."   
  
"Sorry about that sir, she's fairly new", a smooth voice came from over his shoulder. He turned around coming face to face with a tall slender-bodied woman. Brows rose, eying the woman from head to toe. "Well," he smirked,"Aren't you a tall glass." She blinked squinting her eyes as if just recognizing who it was she had the pleasure of serving. "Oh! You're-Murdoc Niccals!", she exclaimed grinning from ear to ear. Medium length copper hair was swept behind her ears, the curtains giving way to the flawless pale skin and hazel-gray eyes. "The one and only", he grinned a crooked smile leaning back on the bar stool. "It's so weird that you're here! I was just talking about you!", she nodded rounding the bar to take place for the service of another approaching customer. "About me eh?", Murdoc boasted, barely noticing as a presence plopped into the seat beside him. "Well yeah--We both were," the gray eyes flickered over to his side and back. Leaning on the countertop, she smiled in a friendly manner,"Could you help us out?"  
  
"Can't say 'no' to a pretty bird like you now can I?", he leaned forward as well with a smug look on his face, placing a bold hand over the bartender's. Her hazy eyes went wider, and a look of horror flashed on her features. Her eyes continuously flickered from him to the other patron,"That's not what I meant." He rose a brow in question and glanced over to who'd dually had the woman's attention. Ruri stared back. "Long time no see...", she said plainly, arms folded over her chest. With more than half a bottle downed, it took a moment for the gears of realization to turn. Murdoc's eyes narrowed, and then sudden widened exponentially. "Oh!!! It's you Ryn's old friend!", he belted out in astonishment. Hands swiped away as he swiveled in the stool, he turned his attention to the two time experienced nights of casual sex. A bit unamused, she blinked,"Yeah, O.K. I'm going to get to the point." Ruri was exactly as he'd last seen her, everything about her screamed "exotic". One thing was different, the deadly serious look in honey brown eyes. "Murdoc, you and Shea here...," she paused motioning to the woman behind the counter silently observing before continuing,"...Were the last two to see Meryn." Winding back in the seat, she crossed her legs over one another tight-lipped and struggling to continue, "Shea tells me you took her somewhere last year--My question to you, is where she is now?"   
  
Nonchalant and bland, he sighed coming to realize the situation he found himself in. Inwardly, he swore unable to fathom the odds of running into two people with a personal interest in one of his prisoners Moreover, he recalled Ruri living outside of his home country, so why was she here now? No matter. Murdoc kept calm, showing no telltale signs or illuminating expressions. "Hrph hngh", he grunted in amusement peering back to the silent observer from the corner of his hellish red eye,"So YOU'RE the infamous old flame." Eying her from a new outlook, Murdoc smirked,"I'll have to give Ryn credit when I see her, you're quite the looker." Shea frowned in disappointment,"So, the brains behind Gorillaz really is as gutter as they say..." Sighing heavily, her shoulders sank exchanging a glance with Ruri that mirrored a loss of respect in regards to his lack of consideration for either of their concerns. She shook her head occupying herself with cleaning the mahogany counter. Low in tone, she said goodbye to the preconceived notion that came with being a long time fan," Well, they do say never met your idols..."   
  
He was taken aback a little, but continued to appear unfazed,"Uh-huh, what a coincidence that you two just happened to find me." With some gall, he side-eyed Ruri's stony form,"What's this really about eh? You came halfway around the world just to interrogate yours truly?" The mixed-race girl snickered to herself, shooting a baffled glance to Shea," I came because I haven't heard from my best friend. I've been coming to see her in February for her birthday, even in all the years Gorillaz was broken up." Ruri lifted a finger matter of factly,"Granted, she has a tendency to run off or seclude herself for periods of time--But this is different."   
  
"Mmhm", he nodded almost mockingly, "Different you say?" Murdoc dug into his pocket retrieving a pack of half empty cigarettes. Plucked from the box he brought it to his coy curved lips lighting the end with the spark of his disposable lighter. "Either of you partake?", he asked extending the box to either of them. Shea immediately looked away,"I'm trying to quit..." Ruri, however, didn't so much as acknowledge the gesture. Instead, she found herself unable to look away from the injured index finger that stuck out from the rest. "What happened?", she asked boldly grabbing the splint examining every angle despite him vocalizing discomfort. "Heyheyhey!", Murdoc frowned snatching away,"Is that how you grab an injured person?!"  
  
"Are you going to answer?", she sharply replied nearly interrupting his complaint.  
  
"Look, sweetheart, I told you before--", Murdoc sat up correctly in the chair, to be as credible as possible. "Contrary to what it seems, I do in fact care about the poor bird", a single brow rose past his greasy bowl cut fringe suggesting a bit more kindness than he'd ever wanted to be known. "I thought after our little night of fun those years ago, that you'd have picked up on that--", he wagged the splinted finger about sporting a serious look on his face," And this here is the result of a falling out with an old collaborator that's all." As smooth as always, there was no hint of deception that could be traced. After all, the majority of the time, Murdoc's portrait was smug or drenched in some kind of drunken slimeball stupor. Ruri eyed him for a crack in the facade he built up, but all that he showed was the same old bitter grungy man with a hint of sincerity in his attempt of good posture. Still, this was Murdoc Niccals. The brain behind Gorillaz; known for his talent and sociopathic tendencies. Smoke chimney-ed out from his chapped parted lips, as he solidified his false character. Hand on his chest, he leaned forward speaking low and thoughtful," Remember that old video you showed me? The one from your teen years?"  
  
"Well, the truth is, ever since I saw it, I've felt an irreplaceable bond with that girl."  
  
There was some truth to that. As far as he was concerned, this was the only truth he'd ever tell in regards to the captive firecracker, Meryn Jakes. "Hm...", the long dark hair swept over Ruri's shoulder at the turn of her head. Fist balled up, she rest her head on it as she relaxed into the idea of trusting him. "You still remember that?", she mumbled in an inquiry. Her slanted eyes narrowed into thin lines,"You didn't tell her I showed you that did you?"  
  
"No no, it's between us", he snickered exhaling a long stream of cigarette smoke into the air, "Is your little blog site still up?"  
  
Slouching a bit, she nodded guiltily scratching the back of her head,"It was just one of my many hobbies back then, I was into everything, whatever helped get my name out there ya know...but that video is just for me to remember, I only showed you because alcohol was involved."  
  
"Yeah yeah. Of course, before I was a god that brought little heartthrobs like yourself to their knees, I was a connoisseur of everything entertainment. Took about a hundred bands to land this level of success after all hegh mmheh."  
  
Murdoc cackled and grunted a raspy laugh. He had half a mind to pour a drink in memory of the failed projects and record deals that never came through. "I'm a little surprised that you remembered that...", Ruri tried to chuckle a tad caught up in the bittersweet memory of their high school years. Having to move away, and attending a new school, had left Meryn alone to deal with the slew of happenings. And although she never wanted to leave, Ruri had no choice or voice in the grand scheme of things. She'd been aware of certain aspects of Meryn's life, but nothing prepared her for what she'd wind up seeing on that blustery autumn evening. 

* * *

  
  
_Saturday, September 20th, 2003_  
_Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JP_  
_7:26 PM/ 19:26_  
  
  
The camera view went back and forth, an outlook of the city streets of Shibuya. Neon lights, signs blinking with Romaji or Kanji were blurred in the midst of nonstop movement. The view went fully blurry and dipped to the pavement below, two hurried feet pitter-pattering against the walkway until the violent shaking came to a complete stop. Light panting could be heard, along with something mumbled in Japanese as the running had finally ceased and she'd arrived at her destination. A turn into the backstreets and an immediate left had landed the view to a single red door. An arm and hand sprung out from the side knocking three times on the door. The view jerked away suddenly from left to right, nodding to the random men smoking outside. Even in the slanted view of the camera, they made small suggestive gestures only stopping to consider their actions once they'd noticed the presence of a video camera recording their movements. The sound of a door squeaking open sounded from the right, what came soon after was a long drawn out sigh.  
  
"Hello, Ruri..."  
  
She turned her attention to the door and looked upon the drone faced man she crushed on. Sol Jakes scratched the incoming hairs regrowing from the last shave he'd completed. His lightly toasted complexion a brilliant tan in the fleeting glow of the sun's rays. Mouth turned downward, and his brown eyes staring directly into her soul or something else maybe? A brow rose and he gestured to the camera strapped to the teen's budding chest. "What the hell is that?", he asked leaning against the frame of the door. "What, this?", she chirped swaying from side to side in a childish manner. Sol's eyes followed her exuberant movements in a figure 8, simply blinking in immediate exhaustion. "It's a thing I'm doing now", Ruri elaborated tilting the camera view to her face,"I started doing a video diary so I can have my day to day recorded for sentimental purposes--Wait I told you this before--I thought you were following my blog!"  
  
From chipper to an immature nagging scowl, Ruri was visibly much younger. Clearly, puberty had catching up to do in the years to come. Sol held his head in the palm of his hand, dragging half of his features in annoyance,"Oh yeah that--Anyway, Meryn's not here right now...so...", his face scrunched seemingly conflicted in outright sending his little sister's friend off in another direction. But, there was a reason for his shirker nature in regards to the little impish annoyance. On cue, a mischievous expression tugged Ruri's lips into a wide grin. She swooned, giggling in an embarrassingly girlish pitch,"She'll be around later though!"  
  
His expression was unchanging. Bland. The lack of luster in his eyes and the tightly wound way he held himself was yet another indication of disinterest that Ruri didn't pick up on. Or maybe, it was just something she didn't want to see? Teetering on her toes, she elevated her height and fell back on her heels. Backwards and forwards she rocked, simply waiting for him to give in like he always did. Sol scratched the back of his head, ruffling up the chestnut brown waves and zig-zags tied into a lax bun. As usual, she insisted on him inviting her in. No amount of standing around awkwardly and hoping she would leave ever helped. To make things a bit more difficult, she was a great friend of his troubled little sister; that made rejecting her outright impossible unless he didn't mind being the "bad guy". And while in the midst of the ongoing stare-down, he was truly thankful Meryn had a good outlet and friend in Ruriko.  
  
Still.  
  
Ruri batted her lashes, eyes open and at attention. This girl insisted on plaguing his life in particular by shamelessly flirting with a man 12 years older. With weary golden eyes, he broke begrudgingly knocking his forehead against the wooden door frame. Unable to be blunt or rude with a girl his sister's age, Sol stepped aside electrifying the air with unease and a slew of expressed complaint. Groans, sighs, and grumbling always went unnoticed or ignored, and this time was no exception. With a coy devious little smile, Ruri welcomed herself inside. Hips swishing from side to side and quite the pep in her step, she plopped onto the dingy couch in the corner of his rented studio space.  
  
Walls tagged with graffiti, and framed photos of his previous family life were placed sporadically in no particular order. The grown men behind the glass, looked up from their muted conversation exchanging glances and snickers between each other. Something like that might've made a young girl uncomfortable, but Ruri feared very little. Arms spread out as if she paid the rent, she yawned crossing her legs one over the other. Sol sauntered in the open area from behind dragging his feet. Hands stuffed in his jeans pockets he leaned against the wall shooting a contemptuous glare to the men a bit too entertained by the level of discomfort he exuded in Ruri's presence. Silent, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. Immediately dialing his sister in hopes that she could put a lid on the situation.  
  
"It's been awhile", Ruri said aloud breaking the silence. Fingers grazing over her bare knees, she subtly raised the plaid uniform skirt higher on her body. Head tilted she watching him squirm across the room looking anywhere but in her general direction. "It's only been about a month...", he mumbled gluing his eyes to the lit screen of his flip phone. Typing away in distress, numerous SOS's had been sent, but none replied to. Meryn was oddly quiet at the moment. Normally, she'd laugh at his inability to be harsh with young girls. It was no secret that he had a soft spot in regards to her, but she knew her brother to be quite intimidating when he wanted to be. Gang affiliation, a ladies man with several flames that overlapped or ended horribly. The occasional altercation, a scuffle with school-age boys who'd been picking on her, not to mention the stress brought on by financial struggles. On top of that, the child Meryn used to be had witnessed him nearly succumbing to breaking one of his self-imposed rules back in and hitting a woman.  
  
Their sister, Terra.  
  
But, Terra was the exception. He'd made that very clear.  
  
Flipping the phone shut, he shrugged, decidedly playing off never receiving a response. "She said she'd be here soon", Sol lied smoothly forcing himself to look up from avoiding her. "That's the new uniform you have?", he asked with little enthusiasm only trying to make conversation. "Like it?", Ruri stood dropping her bags to the floor. Leg extended, her olive skin tone peaked out from underneath the pleats of the hiked up skirt. "...Sure?", he forced himself to say. The stony facade dissipated and became replaced with an unnatural twitching grin. His eyes went to the scuffed up hardwood floor for refuge, only to have the false safe haven immediately taken away. White tennis shoes appeared in the upper corner of his sight, and suddenly he was caught. The sight worsened at her unannounced approach; thin legs lined with sheer black socks, and a slender frame wandered in uninvited, the difference in height had her on her toes invading his personal space. She smiled a kittenish smile, with her lush eyelashes fluttering and sent him jumping out of his skin to slam his back against the wall.  
  
"Ruri, we talked about this", he started, shuddering in ultimate discomfort with eyes zipping from left to right. His sandy complexion went a certain shade of red as he began scaling the wall for an escape. His body caved inward in an attempt to avoid grazing against her unmoving stature, and Sol rapidly shook his head badly wanting to will the image away. "Awwh!", Ruri complained placing her hands delicately on her hips,"It's not a big deal, you act like I'm not of age!"  
  
"You're my sister's age--"  
  
"We're both 16...", a mischievous snicker lined her lips as she tossed long raven strands over her shoulder.   
  
"Uh huh", he backed away,"And I'm 28."  
  
In unison, they sighed. This exact discussion has been had many times before.  
  
"Look," Sol groaned furrowing his brows with the tips of his fingers,"You like music. You have dreams, and I respect that." Out of the corner of his eye, everyone in the studio watched bug-eyed and undisguised, yet another talk that had to be had. "I'm glad you like my music, and I think it's good that you want to pursue a career in the music business...", Sol rambled struggling to blurt out what needed to be said. "I'm happy you still make attempts of seeing Meryn now that you've transferred--I know you have clubs and whatever else--And you're always welcome to come hang out if you're around--", he winced stopping and starting thoughts as they flowed out of his mouth. "Is it so bad that I like you?", Ruri asked bluntly devoid of a filter.  
  
"No, it's not but-"  
  
Vibration buzzed from his pants pocket taking away his attention, leaving the teen girl unsatisfied. His eyes squinted at the screen before closing and returning it. "L-Look...", Sol walked past her knocking on the glass with a knuckled fist. He nodded a goodbye, receiving nods from the rest of the men. Then suddenly, he was putting on his jacket, slipping into his low boots, and stuffing his hands into his pockets to fetch the box of menthol cigarettes he'd been craving all day. Over his shoulder, he acknowledged the adolescent offering a kind and pitying expression,"I gotta go, we'll talk later. Kay?" His tone was gentle and warm, much like the rest of him, and as he walked out the door telling her to be careful on the way home, Ruri couldn't help but feel unimportant. Although she shouldn't have, she found herself pacing for the door swinging it open in desperation to be seen and taken seriously.  
  
Automatically, his head jerked to the side before confirming his suspicions. Halfway in his car, he stared wide-eyed and thrown. "I-I", she scrambled for words having put herself on the spot. Her feet carried her to him, stopping beside his ajar door less than graceful with long strands of hair flying away in the windy evening air. Sol blinked, seemingly in a hurry, a cigarette in between his lips, and cell phone lit up in his hand. The pad of his thumb hovering over the call button, he waited for her to complete her thought. But the thought never came. Her head fell in embarrassment, and her fingers twitched at her sides. "Get in", he said after awhile closing the car door. His head swiveled gesturing for her to round the car and hop in the passenger seat. Her heart was beating ridiculously fast, but she wasted no time dawdling about how sweet a man he was.  
  
The glowing orange of the setting sun had gone, the streets busy with nightlife and bustling with young adults. In silence, Ruri sat buckled in slouching in the seat. As it turned out, being a blossoming young woman and alone with the supposed love of her short-lived life was causing butterflies to tickle away at her insides. Sol rolled down both their windows once the cigarette between his lips was finally lit. "I don't want to suffocate you ehehe", he chuckled awkwardly to himself trying to make conversation. "So whats so important?", he asked pushing a loose strand behind his ear. From time to time, he'd look over to his phone checking for updates left unsaid. "Oh this?", he plainly decided to enlighten her curious observation,"Our grandparents called me home for something."  
  
"Oh...", she tried to laugh at how clumsy she'd gotten. It was unlike her to be anything but an open book, but for some reason, this game she'd been playing was beginning to hurt. Sat up correctly in her seat, she forced herself to speak,"I'd rather finish our conversation from earlier sooner than later." Contemplative he nodded blowing smoke from the corner of his lips. "I'm not that young...", she began, squirming about in embarrassment,"I might be a little bit of a late bloomer but--"  
  
The car came to a brief stop, Sol observing her out the corner of his amber eyes once the traffic signal turned red. "That's not something I want to discuss with you, sorry Ruri but it's just out of the question...", he offered another kind smile. This one was somehow more belittling than the last. Her heart sank at another rejection. Lips mashed together she took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak, but he was no longer paying her any mind. Instead, he was wrapped up in the cell phone that was apparently more worthy. Brows furrowing, she assumed he'd been doing it on purpose. She wouldn't allow it. Swallowing the growing lump in her throat, she spoke up,"Don't do that..."  
  
But to no avail, he was too preoccupied.  
  
"Sol!", she barked with the intensity of a puppy. "Don't just ignore me!",she swiped at the small space in between him and the lit phone. Too focused on getting out her stacked up feelings, she'd failed to notice the fact that he had frozen. His expression was stuck in a state of fright, pupils dilated and the cigarette burning slow on its own. The car behind honked snatching his attention to the light that'd turned green some time ago. Wordlessly he sat up and remembered how to breathe. He remained silent, gently placing the phone in the empty cup holders with his eyes refusing to go anywhere but forward. Ruri winced, biting at her bottom lip, "You treat me like a child..." Hands clenching at her sides she shook flushed red with humiliation. With all the contempt she could muster, she murmured the truth of the matter.  
  
"You treated me like the rest of your girlfriends a year ago."  
  
It was at that point, that she realized she overstepped and had perhaps been barking up the entirely wrong tree. Sol smirked breaking out of that soulless look of a moment ago,"You ARE a child." The emphasis burned, and his bold glare in her direction turned Ruri to stone. "The one time you took advantage of me being drunk and kissed me means nothing", his tone darkened and was purposely hurtful,"You are a child, from your body to your mentality, you ARE a spoiled little girl and you need to get it in your head that I will never be into you." It stung. His words, his eyes, and the bitterness in his voice. He quickly changed the subject, in more of a hurry than before. "Something happened to her...", he said a little choked up, "You can be here, but for now, just shut up and ride."  
  
Ruri honey eyes welled with tears and she struggled to speak, too afraid of what he might say if she tried. "H-Her?"  
  
Silent couldn't begin to describe the atmosphere the remainder of the ride. The second it came to an end, Sol bolted out of the car and into the small but homey Kanno residence. Alone, she let the tears fall. Like rain, they came soaking into her blouse as she leaned forward and had herself a cry. It was complicated, everything was complicated. A single tear landed onto the lenses of the camera and dropped off onto the pleat of her now ruffled up skirt. Several moments of self-pity went by until she noticed the cell phone he'd left behind. She hadn't any intention of stooping so low as to nose her way into his personal matters, but through her blurred vision, she managed to recognize the characters.  
  
 メリン  
  
"Meryn?"  
  
Wiping away the tears, the gears started to turn. In just a matter of seconds, the pain melted away and was replaced with a feeling she didn't understand. Rereading the entire message, that feeling became known.
    
    
      急いでください
    

Please hurry!
    
    
      **メリン** は痛いです。
    

Meryn is hurt!  
  
  
Hands shaking, she subconsciously grasped the handle, wracked her brain for an explanation.  
  
'Hurt how? And what the hell happened?'  
  
The only way to get the answer was to go see for herself.   
  
Worry and concern for her friend gave her the courage to move. Urgency and her mind imagining all sorts of terrible happenings had her sprinting off for the door. "Sumimasen", she called knocking on the door. But no one came. A trial knock just a tad bit harder pushed it fully ajar. Ruri bit her lip, peeking her head inside searching for the presence of someone else. Inwardly she apologized for barging in but could take the silence no longer. Signs that someone was near, or had in the very least just been there were all around. Contrary to the dark window on the second floor, everything was well lit. A half-empty cup of milk tea with red lipstick on the rim across from an overturned newspaper. One of the pages hung over the edge of the table and had scattered coupons and advertisements across the kitchen floor. Aside from that and the ongoing silence, there was nothing else that struck her as odd. "Hello?", she called again starting for the staircase. 'Maybe?', she feared, 'Meryn had fallen down the stairs or fainted.' She'd been starving herself on and off before Ruri had been enrolled in a new school. Down the hall, she rounded the corner coming upon the dimly lit flight of stairs. One foot forward landed and froze on the first step. An ominous feeling made heavy the atmosphere, but it didn't last for long.   
  
A gasp so high vibrated from wall to wall from above and was followed instantaneously with weighted banging noises. Without another considering thought, Ruri stormed up the steps tripping over her feet and staggering about, clawing for balance when she fell. Her heart kicked into overdrive and tripped over the final step just as Sol had kicked the unyielding door off its hinges in pieces. He left the low light of the hall and entered the darkness of Meryn's room by force. It was as if time had momentarily stopped. How could things go from dead silent to hellbound agony in just a single moment? The small space filled with screams and howls of unholy terror. Their grandparents' mouths agape and their tired swollen eyes unable to look away. "What happened?!", she shouted running faster than ever in after him but was stopped in time by hands cold to the touch.   
  
"NO!", roared out in desperation, the elderly woman using the strength she didn't have if it meant sparing another person from seeing what they had. "What's going on?!", she shouted out for anyone to answer. The smallish woman sobbed uncontrollably, hands grasping at the young adolescent's shoulders and shaking. Her husband's back bounced off the wall. He wheezed clasping his hand over his mouth far too stunned to speak. The other hand tightened on the cellphone displaying the numbers 9-1-1. He struggled to look elsewhere or answer the voice shouting questions through the end of the receiver. Looking back and forth between them she teared up, tongue all of sudden useless and stony. She tried to speak, but no words came, only a tiny mousy shriek once she looked at the floorboards and realized what was spilling from inside. Her body stiffened and the word trembled on her quivering lips,"B-bl-ood? Bl-blood? Meryn?" Ruri heaved her name, in a revelation of how forsaken they all were in the grand scheme of things. Staggering she subconsciously yanked away from the bitter image of life being taken away from the old couple who'd lived long and confronted the sight that ironically took years off her own. It was only for a second, but there was no going back now.  
  
The peculiar scent of fresh blood and the subtle sound of life overflowing, dripping onto the stained red wood. A pool surrounded the body lying on its side and drenched the entirety of the brown hair splayed out on the floor. Through the bangs matted to her forehead, Meryn's eyes were doll-like and devoid of organic life. Her nude skin was patchy and unnatural, blotches of red on abnormally pale white. An all new texture of butterflied flesh looked a kirigami art project with geometric cut out shapes. Colors and tones she'd never known to be human were out for view. Limbs bizarrely laid out and hands curling up from blood loss, her body was lifted slightly and revealed what would be the cause of her death. Horrid disgusting fleshy pink and tubular structures peaked from layers of soaked hair. The continuous low fauceted flow of blood caused her to go weak in the knees. She grabbed lame at the wall and swayed becoming light headed. "DON'T LOOK!", broke through and sent chills down her spine. Sol's usually docile and easygoing nature was as tainted as his blood-soaked clothes as he knelt cradling her head in his arms. Ruri gasped out and stumbled falling to the floor wretching and choking on bile. As she obediently turned her head away from the nightmare, hope bombarded into the house. Shouts and numerous voices from downstairs called with urgency for their location only then did the elderly man find his voice and speak. "Ni-kai! Watashitachi no mago--(Upstairs! Our grandchild--)", all of a sudden, he hurriedly shuffled past half yelling, half crying in woe of losing someone else too soon. His voice croaked waving down the emergency response team from the top of the steps,"Tasukete kudasai--Isoide!" (Please help!--Hurry!) A broken man, he fell to his knees and begged.   
  
"Kanojo wa shinu deshou!" (She'll die!)  
  
A stampede of people rushed up the stairs, everyone tending to their duties reporting the situation to the team spread out around the Kanno residence. Shouts and requests went back and forth for a stretcher, a tourniquet, an assessment of how much blood had been lost and so on. It was all jumbled up background noise to Ruri. The blurring flashes of white rushing in and out of her best friend's bedroom and the room spinning at the mere shade of red that spattered against the pure color. Her head bumped against the wall, and Ruri tried to blink herself awake from the deafening white noise of unconsciousness threatening to take her out. She wavered, barely sensing someone kneel by her side. A spare nurse attempting to shake her to attention. Just barely, she could make out Sol's panic. He'd risen to a defensive stance at the urgent but in his opinion careless way of lifting Meryn out of his arms. The way her head fell from lack of support seemed to cause the tear to deepen. He could've sworn he'd seen the wincing face of the little girl she used to be, crying out from neglect, or in distress while in the arms of his other sister's man. Concern drained from his features, and Sol nearly lost his mind for a moment. "What the FUCK?!", he caught himself lunging at the people only trying to help, but couldn't bring himself to care.  
  
"Nani ga fakku! Mite--Yakunitatanai--Mudana kuso no meinu!"(What the fuck?!--You're useless--Useless fuckin' bitch!)

It all came spat and misdirected, a testament to his inability to think rationally for the given moment.  
  
Hand held over his aching heart, the grandfather of the pair, peered to his love of many decades standing alone and shivering. "Oh God", he panted in mental and emotional fatigue,"Please..." His head shook from side to side in memory of the copper-skinned beauty who'd done a lot of things, but nothing like this. He shook his head in disbelief of the utter rude behavior displayed still taking a moment to scold his grown grandson in the midst of the ground collapsing all around them. "Sol!", the man barked,"Watch your mouth! Sono yona burei!(Such disrespect!)" He had trouble rising at his age but managed nonetheless. "Ne, Ruri no ienikaeru(Hey, take Ruri home)", he staggered along the wall, placing a soothing hand on the shoulder of his wife," Wakari?(Understand?)"  
  
Reverted to being disciplined like a child, Sol clenched his fists nodding an apology to the stunned ambulatory staff,"Wagata(I understand)."  
  
The stretcher passed by Ruri, she winced seeing the pale hand hanging from over the edge squeezing her eyes shut. More afraid than she'd ever been or fathomed to be possible, she barely noticed she was being lifted. In silence, Sol looped his arms underneath hers and sprung Ruri's limp form to a suitable stance. She couldn't walk. Couldn't do anything but watch helplessly with little perception of how much time had gone by. Before she knew it, she was outside in the night air being walked to his car. Both doors still wide open and keys still in the ignition. The low frequency of a beeping sound brought her back to reality, able to breathe fresh air and shivering at the sudden cold. He settled her by the passenger side, quietly motioning for her to take a seat. The lump in her throat was still prevalent, and as she obliged, she tried to blink away the sight of impending death. Shaky breaths sounded in the closed space once he slammed her side shut. Rounding the car, he jerked suddenly; once, twice, and then completely forward emptying the contents of his stomach onto the walkway. Ruri watched his attempt of staying strong, making a mental note of the way he spat at the grass as if it had never happened. She shut her eyes trying to calm the rising full realization that insisted on taking over, the only indication of his presence was the car settling and the door slamming shut.  
  
Careless and his head reeling, Sol took off. It went unnoticed that he was speeding and running numerous red lights. No amount of honking or cursing his existence mattered. His back pressed hard against the seat and foot heavy on the gas, he was reckless, something she'd never seen of his character. She opened her mouth, a dry croak sounding from her throat of concern. She tried again,"S-Sol?"   
  
No answer.  
  
"H-Hey", she cowered holding her arms out in efforts to keep herself in place. "STOP!", Ruri found herself yelling so loud, that the wind was knocked out of her. With no warning, the car jerked to the side of the road and came to a complete stop, per her request. Winded and gasping for air, she whimpered eyes welling up again. He was shivering and flinching all over, his face an array of expressions and his hands jittering at the wheel. Rickety and unwound, he faced her putting on a false smile. All teeth, both rows chattering, Sol laid his head against the curve of the wheel. His back rose and fell at the onset hyperventilating, panic attack that took over. First rather quiet, and then disturbingly dire. He half laughed, cackling hysterically at how pitiful he must appear in her eyes. "Hey", she said, hesitantly placing her hand on his back, "Breathe."  
  
"Khaha...Ahaha", his head pivoted to face her. Ruri stared back, with her lips curving and flinching into a frown.  
  
Sol cackled shaking his head every so often,"I wonder what mom would say...And...dad..." For a moment, he went completely silent staring at the glow of the nearby neon on his dashboard. His warm eyes gone cold, and pooling tears made it difficult to see. Ruri's image became a kaleidoscope of colors and his own shaking hands a blur of sandy tone. He gasped on the edge of his strong facade and toppled over a mess of a person. He sniffled and shook letting the tears fall in mourning and in fear. Stifled and twitchy he murmured to himself, "I can't do this..." Her mouth tightened. "I can't fucking do this!", he shouted out broken and fragile. Out of nowhere, he balled his hand into a fist and slammed it into the window,"They both just left me to do this on my own! I can't even take care of myself!" She jumped removing the hand from his back holding the limp thing to her chest. "I-I know it wasn't their fault...!", he cried harder talking to no one. "I'm the oldest so I HAVE to do it--", the fist collided with the audio system cracking the LCD.  
  
"St-Stop!", Ruri begged, grabbing his hand before it collided with something else. "Please! Just stop it..." His puffy eyes widened and he continued to breathe rapidly with a lack of control, but when his gaze focused in on her as saw the horror wrenching her mouth in despair, Sol quickly pulled the mask back up the best he could. "It's fine! It's fine...I'm fine", he insisted letting his arm fall to his side. Her fingers laced with his and she erratically rambled an apology,"I-I'm s-sor-ry." He took deep breaths, squeezing her soft hand until he had adequate control of his emotions. "No, I'm sorry...", he shakily breathed in and out, flashing a true look of remorse. "What I said to you earlier...well...I shouldn't have said it", his brows furrowed together and Sol squeezed her hand back. "I'll drive safe, mmkay?", he offered the kindest smile possible wiping stray tears from his eyes. His hand loosened and left, returning his eyes to the road,"We'll keep you updated, so try and get some rest tonight O.K?"  
  
The camera beeped three times at the end of his battery life.  
  
"...Kay."

* * *

"Murdoc?"  
  
The green man leaned onto the counter putting out the lit stick of tobacco in the ashtray. "Yes, love?", he drunkenly tilted his head in question.  
  
"If you knew where she was, or that she wasn't O.K., you'd say something...right?"  
  
He sighed,"That's a stupid question..." With all the charm of a manipulator, he lied through his crooked teeth, "I'll let you know what I DO know, she and the dunce are off somewhere, last I saw either of their blithering arses was a couple weeks ago."  
  
News of their relationship seemed to perk her up a bit. "They wound up dating?", Ruri asked as a small smile lined her lips. "And you're actually O.K. with that?", she spoke low eying Shea tending to other people nearby in fear of Meryn ever being in another complicated relationship with her again. Murdoc shrugged it off drumming his fingertips along the bar,"I don't know what you mean by that, if I wasn't 'fine' with it, I wouldn't have recruited Ryn to take part." She nodded, shoulders falling as she sighed in memory of the one she truly wanted to be with,"Well, even if neither of us wind up happy, I'm glad that she did." Murdoc slammed his open palm to the countertop causing everyone but Ruri to jump to attention. "Enough of the sappy shit", he grumbled leaning in far too close. Hovering an inch away from his old flame, a single brow rose doing all the small talk with a solitary look. Ruri chuckled, "No."  
  
"Whaaaat?", Murdoc flung back dramatically in the barstool swiveling from left to right,"You open up a can of bloody worms with your assumptions and don't have the decency to put out?!"  
  
Sliding off the edge of the stool, she stood running fingers through her hair,"I don't trust you enough right now Muds." With a chipper smile, she patted the man droning about with an endless chorus of 'nyeh's', "Besides, I can't do that knowing you actually like Meryn more than you say you do."  
  
He froze in place, glaring at her retreating form. "Hmph", Murdoc grumbled to himself, "How is that the lie you can see through?"


	52. S.O.S.

Right to left, left to right, and the occasional squint or wide-eyed stupor. The two of them observed the happenings they'd unleashed onto the Chilean beach. Simultaneously 2D and Meryn surveyed the behavior with heads swiveling from side to side. With no agenda or objective, the Cyborg didn't hesitate to take their advice and do what it wanted, whenever it pleased. The pleats of the hand-me-down dress that Meryn said goodbye to, was now completely owned by the rambunctious android teen. The second they'd reached the shore, the false Noodle suddenly came back to life after hours of what could only be described as "autopilot" or perhaps, some kind of sleep mode. Whichever it was didn't matter at this point anymore, what was precedent, was the fact that one of them would have to step in and stop the Cyborg from horrifying any more of the patrons. Sand and water flung everywhere at the kicking of its combat boots and the stretching out of its limitations. Finally able to test the abilities programmed at the beginning of its short lived life, Cyborg Noodle felt close to what people described as "free".  
  
Choppy fringe was flinging from side to side and then spiraling at the horrifying 360 of its head. Kicked up moist sand hit beachgoers in their unsuspected faces and momentarily blinded those unlucky enough to be hit in the eyes. It was a rather windy and cool late summer in February, with the added ocean spray it became nippy and sent a chill up Meryn's spine. She shuddered and shivered whilst trying to come to a decision on what course of action should be done. Through the wisping of violet wavy locks clinging to her face, she peered at the man standing dumbly beside her. 2D in his signature blank-faced airy befuddlement simply watched holding his wrist behind his back with his elongated limbs. Awkward, he bit into his lower lip grinding point of his off-white canine into the rosy flesh.  
  
_Sigh._  
  
"Alright", Meryn huffed blowing fly away hairs away from her face. One step forward and its head immediately spun around to face her in question. She hadn't even put her foot down, and the Cyborg was already flashing demented looks in her direction. Everyone within the vicinity flinched in alarm, 2D included with the extension of his arms defensively flying up to shield his face should it randomly take interest in harming him again. Everyone but Meryn who paid no mind to the empty threats of a defiant android teen. She easily shrugged it off and pressed on, lessening the distance with wide steps taken until towering over the petite weapon with zero understanding of what it had done wrong. Grasping the small wrist of the little robot, Meryn marched off for the boardwalk dragging the synthetic form along with her. 2D's head turned as she passed by with the lot of everyone else witnessing a killer machine being walked away from the crowd like a bratty kid who'd caused a disruption in the middle of a packed establishment. Until, he too found himself being jerked in a different direction and staggered off at the tug of the woman who'd taken charge.  
  
The stares didn't cease until they were too far to be recognized as anything but specks in the distance, but even still, Meryn could feel the eyes burning a hole through her back. Away from the onlookers, she released them both once standing safe and ignored by random people walking by. "Hnn...", 2D complained with a brow-furrowing pout turning his wrist into a more comfortable position,"Didya hafta yank me round loike tha' Kat?"  
  
"Sorta", she answered quick flicking his forehead. He winced and rubbed at the spot in confusion extending his lower lip in slight irritation. Meryn sighed massaging her temples staring at the wooden boardwalk at their feet. Her arm instinctively jutted out at the abrupt pivot and turn of the Cyborg's heel, grabbing hold of the frail cool wrist again. "We can't let you be recorded D...", she stated yanking the Cyborg back to her side. "If people pull out their phones you need to turn in the opposite direction or walk away," Meryn clarified shooting a threatening stare to the petite android. At that his face softened,"Oh..." If people recognized him and took pictures or made videos, their victorious escape might be compromised.  
  
Murdoc, wherever he was, paid heavy attention to the reception and praise of fans. In the midst of a crowd of tan people, 2D stuck out like a sore thumb. Murdoc's prized blue haired, black eyed god was easy enough to spot as is, especially when he towered over the majority of people in stature. His identifiable traits were even more obvious among the sunny south of the equator people with his complexion so beige, pale, and lacking in natural sun exposure. The additional antics of a out of control android that mirrored the esteemed, and possibly deceased Gorillaz guitarist was sure to make matters worse. If anyone posted 2D online at their location, they might as well just get back on the boat and deliver themselves back to Plastic Beach. It would only be a matter of time before Murdoc did. He sighed after putting the pieces together, lowering his head and poorly covering the side of his face with a free hand to box him in from view.   
  
"We need to be smart about this...", Meryn trailed off, nonchalantly linking arms with the careless Cyborg flailing and swatting at the many things that caught its attention. The boardwalk was full of bright colors and big carnival machinery, providing fun for the public with questionable safety practices. Teens and young adults practically hung from the seats of the rides disregarding the use of flimsy seatbelts they'd been provided. In the corner of her eye, Meryn spotted the worst of them, the dreaded ferris wheel and turned away in distaste. "Wanna shack up? Get a room?", 2D suggested in a hushed tone adamantly eyeing the area for immediate shelter. "We'll have to look into pricing and...", suddenly Meryn dug into the small pocketbook at her side unfolding her wallet for the first time in almost a year. All while fishing out the debit card tucked away she was being jerked in random bursts by the Cyborg now putting in a small effort to escape. She squinted at the card, not bothering to look around for her ever neglected pair of glasses and read aloud the expiration date.  
  
"07/2010."  
  
_Phew._  
  
"At least it's not expired...", Meryn mumbled to herself wondering how much remained within the forgotten account. "Hey D?", she asked glancing at his hunched over form,"What about you?" The man sank a bit, his shoulders slumping were an indication on their own, "Well...I have cash, but s'not tha' kind that'd werk ere...." He dug into his back pocket with his tongue peeking out the corner of his lips and eyed his own inventory,"Moi credit cards gon' and expired...And I only got loike 1 Million L£." Her jaw dropped,"What?!"  
  
"N-No, s'not as much as yew fink it's loike ol'most £500..."  
  
Meryn shook her head baffled struggling to keep a grip on the cyborg barely containable any longer. "What the hell kind of exchange rate is THAT?!", she grunted snatching the humanoid with both arms. Cyborg Noodle flung backward to have both of the limbs draped around its unsuspecting shoulders and inevitably pin it in place at Meryn's center. It grimaced, knowing well it could break free and take her arms in the blink of an eye. It merely hissed a bizarre pitch in protest and went limp in temporary cooperation. 2D blinked taken aback for a moment at the sudden change of activity and returned to his embarrassment with the tilt of his head downward. "Sowwy, I woz travelin' ol'ova and blowin' hugeee amounts on tickets and tha' loike...", he scratched his head ruffling up vibrant blue spikes and trailed off into a mumble," Plus payin' f'kiddies really adds up..." Her head tilted in thought, Meryn pursed her lips half way wanting to ditch the Cyborg and wrap her arms around his pitying form instead. "Don't feel bad about it", she insisted leaning forward past his head hung low in shame. The tufts of blue covered a portion of his face and shadowed his features, only a somber frown wrenched at the corners of his mouth.   
  
A hand came forth and pushed the hairs away. Her palm settled on his forehead above his furrowing brow staring into the voids gone wide in surprise. Her lashes fluttered and she beamed at him giggling with a loving glimmer in her eyes. No matter how he viewed himself, Meryn's rose-colored spectacles always saw a beautiful shining person. 2D dove within their earthy tones in search of what made him so special, even narrowing his own eyes as if he'd be able to see something that didn't exist just by focusing harder. But, before long, he gave up and put on the most convincing toothy smile he could. Peering up at him just below the watchful all seeing glass orbs were like daggers, even through the uneven fringe draping its face. Held by a single appendage, the Cyborg leaned casually with its back to Meryn flashing its own set of pearly whites amused with 2D's continued uncertainty. He gulped, quickly turning his head, eager to no longer be of focus.  
  
"Maybe if we go t'some store, we culd get wifi or somefink!"  
  
Overzealous, 2D pointed to the nearest establishment he could find. "Plus", he added sporadically," Maybe we can finally get in contact wiff Russ! O-Or even one o'yer ol' friends?" She nodded, raising a brow but ultimately dismissing his behavior as being bashful.  
  
"That's a good idea."

* * *

  
In the amount of time it took to find a room with low rates, all attempts of reaching anyone that could help were unfruitful. Meryn groaned out loud glaring at her barely used Skype account. The one time she badly needed to call Ruri, and of course, the calls were being ignored. She didn't blame her for not accepting when the number that kept calling was from a country she knew no one from. With a pout, she sank onto the shabby bed plopping flat on her back. Turning just her head to the side her brows rose gauging 2D for a report on his attempts. His own face was glued to the lit screen typing out an SOS with long fingers flying, it seemed whatever he was typing had his attention as her inquiry was given no response. She found herself preoccupying herself with the curious activity of Cyborg Noodle who hadn't left the window since they'd arrived. The petite young adult stood people watching, its eyes traveling along with the different cycles of tourists and beachgoers, then returning to the far corner to examine the next group of people coming into view.  
  
The three of them resembled a dysfunctional family dragged to a vacation spot in hopes of getting along the way they all immediately found their respective corners and remained silent. For some reason, it was funny, and Meryn found herself suddenly bursting into laughter at the painfully bleak air. Only 2D paid her outburst any mind, he immediately jerked his head in her direction scratching the stubble of his upper lip. "Wha's so funny?", he asked lowering the phone from the nonstop essay he'd been typing out. "I dunno", she chuckled,"It's just oddly quiet I guess."  
  
"Yeah", awkwardly 2D glanced back to the screen, scanning the contents of the text message. Although it was supposed to be a cry for help, it was more of a cry for advice. He had volunteered to try and contact Russel since the last time they'd tried was months ago, not to mention the fact that Meryn had paid for a couple nights with her own money. It was the least he could do. The only issue was, Russel not paying much attention to his inbox in the years he'd known him. He pondered why that was, and recalled being ignored in particular because at the time, 2D spammed him with useless nonsensical ramblings. Downcast he grumbled to himself having fallen short of Meryn's expectations. "What's the matter?",she stood suddenly swinging forward. It only took a few steps towards him for a reaction to take place.  
  
He went bug-eyed standing up straight, nearly dropping his phone as he spastically juggled the device from hand to hand in the most ungraceful panic she'd ever witnessed. "What the hell was that?", Meryn teased stopping in her tracks. "UH-Uhm well, he din't say nothin' if tha's wot yer wonderin'!", 2D forced a smile batting his free hand as if to shoo away any suspicions she might've had. Quickly, he pocketed the device and sought out to act as casually as possible. Surely, he thought, she must've have picked up on his weird behavior. Even since leaving Plastic Beach, his indecisive had caused him to be more jumpy or flighty than usual. 2D scratched his head and lowered his line of sight staring at Meryn's shoes and too afraid to look anywhere else.   
  
"Hm", she stepped closer now standing directly in front of his avoiding stare,"Your face looks like a scarecrow..." She was pouting, he could tell without checking, it was in her voice. The sight of two leisurely shoes became replaced with a suggestive eyeful. He blinked momentarily immobilized by the eye candy peeking out of her shirt, then suddenly jerked his head away with a labored sigh of relief. Wiping his brow of sweat, he looked at the carnival rides twirling and beginning to glow in the darkening sky. 2D smiled genuinely with fond memories of his father's funfair and the endless summer complete with booze, partying, and women.  
  
Meryn couldn't put her finger on it, but something was wrong. Perhaps this family was dysfunctional after all. Arms folded across her chest, Meryn sauntered over to the Cyborg instead, leaving behind 2D in disarray once she disappeared before him and wound up standing beside the false Noodle. Her form and stature blocked the view of a Tilt-o-Whirl he was daydreaming about, consequently, it grounded him in the present where he was currently sizing up to be an all-around disappointment. His hand rose from his side shakily reaching out for her, but she was too far. Physically, and emotionally.  
  
"Do you want to go?", she asked peering down at the artificial being. With the nod of its head, Meryn turned on her heel. "Kay then", she chirped guiding the smaller one by its arm. She breezed past him where he remained frozen in place leaving him behind a ghost, ignored and forgotten. 2D's shoulders sank in hopelessness making himself smaller. Teeth ground against his lower lip, and he whimpered feeling very much like a failure.  
  
"Hey!",she called from the ajar door,"Are you coming?"  
  
Looking up from his shame, his big eyes were full of woe. He sniveled pushing off the wall wiping his nose,"Comin'..."  
  
She'd disappeared from the doorway without a trace, the both of them already around the corner with no consideration of how he dragged his feet. Sullen, 2D closed the door behind him and reached for his cellphone bringing the screen back to life. His message to Russel was a cry for help in more ways than one. Walking slowly, he reread what he'd written so far.  
  
'Hiya Russ! It's me, 2-D! Been awhile since we all parted ways, something like 4 years I think. I'm typing this out cuz I'm kinda in predicament. It's nothin stupid or anything like that but I could really use some help! Me and Kat have been held captive on this floating garbage mass in the middle of the Pacific for months now, and Murdoc has gotten himself into trouble again...Something about a dark spirit and a deal gone wrong. I kno it all SOUNDS like something I dreamt up, but its true! If you get this, couldya lend a hand? Kat tried to get hold of ya last year in the fall but I figure you probably changed your number and skipped town or something, I get it, cause Murdoc's been tryna find ya! He sent the Cyborg to look for you--Oh yeah! There's a cyborg that looks just like Noodle--OH YEAH! She might be alive! But yeah anyway...Yeah the Cyborg helped us make our escape, its been bonded with Kat but its no replacement for the real Noodle of course...So um the island's off the coast of Chile. Way off though. I forget the coordinate-thingys, I'll ask and send em your way.  
  
Also, if ya get this, could ya help me with something else maybe?  
  
See, looooooads happened and well I'm kinda shacked up with Meryn aka. Kat now. I put the aka there cuz I wasn't sure you remembered that nickname. Anyway. I'm real happy and she seems happy but I'm coming up empty on the feelings I'm supposed to be having. Way back when we were all at Kong, do ya remember the chat we had the night before I left? Well, I'm starting to think you were right...It's not that I DON'T like her, I just don't have anything else to give, know what I mean?'  
  
2D scowled with a finger hovering over the screen. Squinting up from his screen, he noticed he'd made it outside in the meantime. An entire boardwalk of people spawned out before him, walking at different speeds and jaunty in nature. The laughter of passersby and good company gradually filled his auditory senses as he sought out his own. Dark eyes scanned everywhere until he found them at a distance; Meryn with her back turned, too in her own head to grant him the unconditional love she felt and the Noodle clone peering over its shoulder staring through him from far away. The bags under his eyes were more sunken in, and his eyelids had become heavy with emotional fatigue. A lump formed in his throat that couldn't be swallowed no matter how much he tried. The more he watched her retreating form the more desperate he was for help.  His body was betraying him constantly; if he wasn't gawking, he was subconsciously giving away his insecurities with a look. His eyes couldn't lie to her, so they looked elsewhere or focused on shallow admiration to protect himself from being caught. But as Murdoc said, Meryn wasn't stupid. She was making conscious efforts to overlook the skepticism, but when he struggled to look her in the eye, she withdrew. The Meryn he'd gotten to know wouldn't push for an answer or force it out of him, but she would disappear without a trace if he didn't put her mind at ease. He gulped fully acknowledging the hole he was digging himself in. 2D was running out of time with her, and soon his lukewarm declarations of love would bring about the end.   
  
  
Despondent, 2D sorrowfully furrowed his brows. His lips wrenching and then turned downward, he thought to himself, 'Russel was right.'  
  
_The day before he left Kong, the words exchanged with him had solidified his thoughts. Almost the entirety of her stay with them all, 2D had run into trouble again and again. There was always something that kept them from simply being together, even when both parties were so clearly drawn to each other. After the El Manana music video, there were no more chances for them to get it right, he hadn't the heart or will after they'd lost someone so dear. And Meryn? She'd done what she always did, sit in her room and close herself off from the rest of the world hoping to be forgotten. With plans to leave the country, 2D would wipe his hands of everything. He'd give up on whatever they were, settle with random lays for adequate company, try to rid his thoughts of the dead and travel the world as long he could to put Gorillaz behind him. A new start in a new place was exactly what the doctor ordered, and 2D couldn't have been more excited to broaden his horizons. Still, as he roamed the soon-to-be lonely halls of Kong Studios one final time, he found himself glancing at the door to Meryn's world and mourned. The mystery of their relationship, along with the adventure and warmth that came from having gotten to know her for just a few shorts months as well as everything left undiscovered before his departure. Gazing at the wooden barrier that held the one person who'd never slighted him, 2D hung his head._  
  
_Down the remainder of the corridor and rounding the corner at the base of the stairs, 2D came face to face with the brick wall of a man. "Oh-Erm sorry Russ", he said awkwardly sidestepping out of the way. Without a word, the collar of his own shirt was yanked with little effort stopping him in his tracks. "Don't worry bout it, besides I wanted to talk to you before you left anyway", he replied matter of factly bringing the taller lanky man strolling along at the tug of the fabric. Russel sighed releasing him once far enough away from the possibility of being overheard. "I'm givin' you this", arm extended a tiny piece of paper was centered in the palm of Russel's meaty hand. Stroking the back of his neck 2D tilted his head to the side, pinching the little piece in between his thumb and index,"Wha's this for?" Black orbs narrowed into a squint examing the numbers written down and the name of someone beneath in small print. "It's the number of my guy back in New York if you need to find me just call him and I'll get the message. Aight?", stuffing his mitts into his pockets, he explained,"Don't want Muds knowing how to find me, so keep it yourself. Got it?"_  
  
_2D blinked placing the slip in his back jean pocket,"Yeah sure fing Russ."_  
  
_Nodding, Russel slid his hat backward removing the visor from his view,"What were you doin' up there, sayin 'bye' to Meryn or were you being nostalgic?" The answer was displayed transparently on his features. The way 2D's demeanor instantly changed with his shoulders suddenly slumped and his mouth fluctuating in an array of embarrassing irresolute expressions were much more concise than he'd ever been able to explain with words._   
  
Thanks to Murdoc, the poor disregarded Stu Pot left standing by himself in the shattered remains of his one-sided affection for Paula Cracker and the mutual "love" he'd had with Rachel Stevens inevitably came to a screeching halt. Since the day he'd met 2D, Russel witnessed the lack of confidence during Gorillaz rise to fame. When the movie deal was dropped, and after Murdoc strangled the living daylights out of him, 2D returned home to the UK.  
  
The next time he saw his bandmate, he'd appeared to have undergone quite the transformation. More outspoken, rambling on and on, with the occasional back sass to Murdoc, it was apparent that time away was just what he needed. Even more evidence of his newfound attitude presented itself just 4 months after his return in the form of five separate child support claims that were followed by an additional three positive DNA tests in late 2004. From missed payments to casually dating many women, nothing about 2D resembled a man capable or willing to undergo being in a serious relationship. The only factor to challenge the habitual promiscuity in his actions was none other than the arrival of an intriguing 19-year-old girl shrouded in an air of mystery.   
  
His own person, 2D's behavior was of no relevance to Russel.  
  
At the arrival of a certain lucky #1223, the same principle was applied.  
  
But...  
  
_"When do ya think you started crushin' on her?", Russel asked leaning against the wall, "My guess is about a month after." Looking up at the ceiling, he crossed his heft arms across his chest,"With all the tail you've been getting, I thought you would have made a move the second she moved in...But my guess for why you didn't is because you don't bother talking to women that Murdoc has his beady little demon eye on." In the wake of entirely true estimated guesses, 2D wavered a bit focusing on his shoes in fear of being read like an open book. "Maybe...", he admitted in a low volume, "S'not jus tha' though...She's been livin' ere, so if I screwed up I'd be in real trouble." An observer, Russel knew many things about his bandmates, even things they'd not noticed themselves. What he knew about the lead singer of their world famous band was that 2D struggled with much; decision making, understanding his own feelings, and the extent of hers in comparison. "You didn't ask but I'll let you in on something", pushing away from the wall, he faced the blue-haired man's avoidant posture,"You are never gonna find someone perfect, but someone like Meryn is the closest you'll ever gonna get."_  
  
_2D swallowed hard glancing up from his feet to see a serious low brow glare. Taken back, he jumped to attention standing up straight. Whenever Russel looked at him that way, it typically ended with a warning or a threat. "Look", the stone-faced brolic man continued,"There's a lot of stuff the both of you can learn from each other, but as long as you're stuck in your ways, she'll just be someone else's 'best'. " Frozen in place, he struggled to move at all but couldn't help shaking his head in disagreement. "W-Wot are yew sayin'?", he stuttered,"It's been awhile, but I can still be good boyfriend material--Every gurl I ever been wiff has said so! And--If we're so gud f'each other how come yew fink I can't play tha' part?" Lengthy appendages rose from his sides and extended outward in exclamation,"Besides, she's not ready t'be, rioght nao she jus wants t'be alone!"_  
  
_"...It doesn't work like that, D...And what makes you think she's the one not ready?"_  
  
_Flustered and discombobulated, 2D grumbled to himself shaking his head with continued doubt, "Coz! She needs tiome alone t'deal wiff stuff--She's told me tha' 'herself!"_  
  
_Russel shut his cloudy eyes with a sigh,"Nah you're just using that as an excuse so you don't have to try--And as much as you've said she can do better than you in the past, you sure are up in arms about me implying the same damn thing--Fact is you're afraid of commitment, but when it actually comes down to her being with someone else you get all defensive. The funny part is, you still ain't hesitating to leave. Man, you have no idea what you want with any aspect of your love life."_  
  
_He was stunned, his mouth left open at the lingering defiance in his last breath._  
  
_"I don't know her as well as I know you all, but from what I see Meryn is a girl that feels a lot, the reason she locks herself away is because she has too much pride to let anyone know she ain't always tough", a single finger darted out and stabbed at 2D's puffed up chest. "If you get involved with a girl like that and manage to get past all those defenses just to play the part of a boyfriend hoping that'll be good enough, she's gonna start to notice and it'll be your own damn fault when you fuck up and can't cover your tracks."_  
  
_Large shoulders bobbed in sudden indifference,"It's whatever D, take it how you wanna." At the rise of a single hand, the drummer walked off in preparation for his own departure leaving him there to think for himself._  
  
  
'I know you told me not to ramble and stuff. But we're losing our minds out here. And not all of is because of Murdoc, part of it is me. You said before that I'd fuck it up, and I did. Everythings piling up; the island's been under attack by pirates, the Boogeyman is out to get us, me and Kat escaped but we're not home free. And me? I'm starting to think I'm screwed...This is gonna get bad real soon. I feel it. Right now we're in some place near Santiago called Valparaiso, if you get this in time please send help.'  
  
'Your Old Friend,  
                           2-D'  
  
He took a deep breath and brought his knobby finger down on the screen pressing send. Head held high, he pocketed the device. The words he'd not taken seriously back then rang heavy on his never-ending headache prone mind. He sprinted forward sifting through the crowd in a second wind. Bobbing and weaving through the endless amount of people to catch up. With urgency, 2D grabbed her shoulder and jerked her to face him. Meryn spun around quickly blinking up at him startled and her eyes wide with shock. Once she recognized who'd scared the hell out of her, she limited eye contact and spoke through tight lips. "There's something you're not telling me...", she murmured starting to express her suspicions. But it was too late, he'd already closed in the distance and all she saw was the bright red color of his shirt. Both arms fastened around her and he linked his hands together never wanting her to walk off again.  
  
"Tomorrow, let's do somefing fun!"  
  
He spoke nestling into the soft waves, heavily sighing in relief at the fact that she hadn't pushed him away. It took a moment, but she nodded and hummed an answer against his chest,"Mmhm."


	53. Trial and Error

2D mumbled to himself staring off out the window. Life was bustling outside with people and vendors going about their day. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the curve of her back bending over as she stepped into a pair of shorts. She quickly rose back up throwing spirals and waves over her shoulder to hang down her back, then tended to fastening them in place. Where he sat, with his long legs scrunched up in the windowsill, 2D had his time to think things through and had come to a makeshift conclusion. His head tilted resting against the glass as Meryn pulled a random T-shirt overhead and smoothed out the wrinkles among the loose fitting fabric. "About t'day...", 2D started clearing his throat to rid of the scratchy noise coming from his vocal cords. He tried again,"About t'day Kat..." His tone was made to be serious and as deep as his limitations would allow. "What about today?", she asked aimlessly glancing over her shoulder. "Hm...", he suddenly lost a bit of his nerve. Yesterday he's said he would do something with her, but she seemed unamused to say in the least. Things as they were left were sort of awkward. After he spun her around and embraced her, Meryn didn't say much. She had definitely caught on to something, and it was putting a damper on the good they'd accomplished together. They'd escaped Plastic Beach, and the time away was a godsend. But they weren't out of the fire yet, and there was still much that needed to be done to secure their freedom. Even so, 2D had made up his mind for once. He would do what he intended to do before they'd gotten together in their messy drunken night of thrills over half a year ago.  
  
"Guess I'll find somefing t'do", he said with a tinge of optimism shining through his otherwise detached expression. It was a small reminder of the 2D that Meryn knew before he'd been held prisoner and became understandably bitter. From the windowsill, he staggered to remove his limbs from the tight space quite gracelessly, but once his feet touched the thinly carpeted floor again, he'd regained his peculiar charm narrowing his eyes in her direction. He caught wind of her staring and smiled his dorkish smile. Despite how odd he was as of late, Meryn longed to see his genuine carefree toothy grin even if only for today. Reaching over to the bedside table, she grabbed one of the many pill bottles they managed to retrieve last night. A visit to a walk-in clinic and a ping over to a local hospital in Hertfordshire had a surprisingly quick turn around time. Apparently, they were used to prescribing copious amounts of medication, that was well past an adequate amount in quantity. Meryn didn't question it but instead breathed a sigh of a relief once she knew the payment was somehow taken care of in advance. Like hell, she'd waste any thought on saving money, when he was a ball of jealousy and clearly hiding something.  
  
"Did you take any today?",she asked as he meandered to her side. Extending a hand, she held out the bottle in front of him,"You might get a headache while we're out, especially if more people recognize you." Meryn sighed holding her forehead recalling the handful of people that noticed her lanky lover waltzing around with her. "Ah yew'd be a gud wifey", he teased taking it from her and pouring a questionable amount into his large palm. Medicated, 2D was a tad bit different, it was a delightful little glimpse of who he used to be after his dosage last night. His secrecy was still obvious, but in the clouds, he worried less and his playing dumb was no longer "playing" by any definition of the word. Grumbling to herself, Meryn squinted in discontent that reading him would be more difficult now, but soon she was sighing and dismissing it entirely.  
  
Oh well, at least he's not in pain anymore. Well...for the moment. And for the moment, she would ignore that "wifey" he jokingly said. Even with declarations of love exchanged, there was still no title on whatever they were. It was very much likely, that their being together was only a result of physical attraction and being confined in close quarters together. She tried hard not to look into that and pushed it aside in effort of diffusing some of the ill feelings she brought to the atmosphere. "You know, if it wasn't you, I'd be concerned about the amount your taking..."  
  
"Whaddya mean?", he asked and tossed it all back swallowing hard without the aid of water.  
  
"Anyone else would have died of an overdose...", she mumbled watching the mountain of pills disappear from his palm. "But, you're 2D and nothing ever seems to kill you!", she cracked a painfully forced smile and ruffled the spiky hair atop his head. "Yew callin' me sum sort'f superhero mutant fingy?", he snorted in laughter. "Mmyeah, basically...", Meryn nodded along sauntering past his giddy form for her shoes. "Oh! Oh! Hey Kat!", he called from behind,"Throw me a shirt wuld ya?"  
  
"Here", she picked one of his balled up shirts pitching it at him from across the room. 2D fumbled and the article of clothing went whizzing by his head. Quickly, he whirled around retrieving it from the floor with a silly look on his face. "Heh", he chuckled to himself yanking the shirt down the length of his arms,"It's weird when yer dressed b'fore me!" Over his head, he slid the T-shirt down adjusting it on his torso, immediately after he reached into his back pocket for his flick comb and ran it through the flattened spikes. In just a few strokes, they'd bounced back to their respective style. "Fixed it!", he announced placing his hands proudly on his hips. At the edge of the bed, Meryn tied the laces of her shoes and quickly fashioned her hair into a ponytail. Her nails kept getting caught on the curly ends and hastily she forced them through. "Done", Meryn said flatly dropping her hands to her sides.   
  
"Rioght then", 2D answered stepping into his own shoes. He began to lean forward and nearly capsized with his paperclip thin body, but luckily, he had someone who would simply do it for him. He hated asking but she had already sighed and dropped to her knees in front of him. The sight was always slightly erotic, even though she was just tying his laces. Bashfully, 2D scratched the back of his head, ruffling up styled spikes,"Fhank yew..." Meryn didn't say anything more, quietly rising back to her normal stature and then folding her arms impatiently across her chest. The man sighed whistling air out the wide front gap of his teeth.  
  
His head hung, 2D twiddled his thumbs with a long face, "How long are yew gunna hate me...?"  
  
It struck a nerve, that much was clear. Her pupils expanded and she bit her lip, struggling to put her suspicions forward but not wanting to hurt him either. She wavered for a moment opening her mouth only to close it a second later. Meryn shook her head, holding her forearms tight. "I don't hate you", she managed guiltily watching him from the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry...", she mumbled and heavily sighed resting an open palm on her face. 2D's mouth curved in sadness, twitching at the corners of his lips. Long arms extended past his middle and he grasped his wrist awkwardly holding it behind his back. "Let's go nao, kay?", he mustered making a split second decision. He sauntered on by with his back in a self depreciated hunch, nonchalantly grabbing her hand as he passed her by. Meryn unexpectedly staggered off behind him being lead away from the uncomfortable atmosphere and into the lively hotel hall abundant with families and young adults having a much better time.   
  
It came suddenly but medicated 2D pinned her against the wall warranting a few onlooking stares from people nearby. Meryn blinked and he leaned in closely. Instinctively her lips parted, welcoming his own to lessen the remaining distance between them. But he never made that connection. His dark eyes narrowed into a squint as if sizing her up, and widened to his saucer sized blank stare not a moment later. "Hmm", he bit his lower lip and tried not to smile. His efforts were a complete failure and the would be smile turned into a embarrassing dorkish smirk. "No moar bad fings!", he declared nose to nose with her. "Only gud ones!", at that he chuckled and smiled with his eyes. Again she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came. No complete thoughts or time to think at all when he stepped backward and began openly admiring her form looking her up and down. He surprisingly stopped at her hair, and tilted his head completely taken by something so uninteresting. "Nevah seen yew wiff yer hair ol' tied back b'fore...I don't fink...", 2D rambled second guessing his memory, only to dismiss it entirely with the shrug of his ill postured hung shoulders. "Ah well", he shrugged again sheepishly turning his head,"We both culd use sum R&R...So let's take a walk sumwhere."  
  
Meryn's lips tightened and she nodded going along with whatever it was he was going to suggest they do. "No?", he asked with a slight frown,"Yew don't seem ol' tha' happy..."  
  
"I didn't say that",she mumbled bouncing her back off the wall,"Don't make me out to be the bad guy."  
  
Meryn winced at the bitterness in her own tone. Subconsciously she flicked her eyes to him expecting a sorrowful response. It might've hurt him, but back in his mellow headed state, it was minimally effective and bounced off of him like nothing. 2D nodded and went submissive apologizing for stating the obvious,"Mmkay. Sowwy, luv."   
  
It was becoming annoying. The passive aggressive spatting at him and her undisguised off putting attitude were inadvertently making things worse for herself. Yesterday--No, the past few months of their entrapment, 2D was acting differently. Guilty almost. But guilty of what exactly? He was always perpetually competing with Murdoc in some manner, and she had known that since meeting them both. But unlike before, 2D had become prone to acting out his insecurities. Maybe it had something to do with being off his meds for almost a year? The blue haired dunderhead kicking his feet aimlessly before her seemed unbothered and blank at the moment despite the tension between them. Like his old self back in 2005 he clumsily walked on egg shells and at times had no clue where he'd gone wrong. He would sometimes avoid her back then when things got uncomfortable and spaz out ungracefully when he'd been found. He apologized at times without understanding how wrong he was and had too little fight in him to successfully argue. He was still a sweetheart, and would try to make things right if the opportunity arose. Everything about him was still within the normalcy of being Stuart "2D" Pot, but something was off, she just didn't know what.  
  
"So um", Meryn shook it all off wanting to move forward for now,"Where to?" When she spoke, a little happy expression exposed one of his snaggled teeth,"C'mon Kat."  
  
On the way out, they passed a familiar sight by. The boat they arrived on a bit closer than before and tied down securely at the docks. "Oh wait wot 'bout tha cyborg?", he asked, only just then remembering it existed. Meryn sighed,"She should be done charging by now, so we may have to take her with us."   
  
"Hnnnn", he grumbled in complaint staring at his shoes,"I had a plan and ev'ryfing..." When he lifted his head, he realized she had walked a significant distance and jumped to attention running after her trying to keep up. Meryn peered inside the only closed off area on the vessel and the door creaked letting in a sliver of light. Inside, Cyborg Noodle was where she'd last been seen--Thank God--The night before, it suddenly lost power and the two of them had to drag it back to the boat. Meryn's eyes narrowed into two slits. How had the boat gotten here then? "HEY!", called 2D from over her shoulder scampering to a halt. Hands on his knees, he caught his breath and peeked just past her,"Wot's goin' on? Izzit gone?"  
  
"No...it--She's still here..."  
  
The Cyborg stood motionless fastened to the charging station with wires of varying size and color jutting from its ports. The artificial eyes seemed to be staring at her from across the smallish room. "Hm...", Meryn sighed seeing no evidence that the little bot had undone its complex wiring, and begrudgingly closed the door shrouding the android back in the darkness. "That's weird", she murmured with arched brows lowering into a furrow. "Hm???", 2D asked,"Wha'?"   
  
"Nothing", she quickly dismissed suspicions," She must've moved the boat that's all it could be."  
  
"Iunno wha's goin' on but...", 2D took her hand urging her to follow,"Loike I said, we're havin' fun t'day!"  
  
"O.K., but--"  
  
"AH!", he rapidly shook his head from side to side and appeared to be a blur of blue. "Nope! FUN TIOMES KAT!", he proclaimed with his free hand shaking an understanding into her. Meryn chuckled briefly letting go of her gut feeling,"Okay! Okay!" She cleared her throat and allowed herself to be lead elsewhere, peering over her shoulder she could only half smile with questions left unanswered. Sighing, she turned her attention to the man in front of her. Hand and hand, 2D cut through the crowd, so dead set on enjoying the day, that he never once looked back at her. With a view of blue spiky hair and his slouched posture, the sun was partially eclipsed on every wide step he took. The sun was bright, too bright, and Meryn suddenly found herself regretting walking out of the air-conditioned hotel room during the day. But her lover was so adamant on an unknown daytime activity that she would go along with it no matter how much she wanted to sit-in and brood. Meryn groaned wiping her brow of accumulating sweat and tried her best to not let the heat or the unspoken problem between them register on her face. Suddenly he let go of her and spun around with a smile on his face. But Meryn was finding it hard to pay attention.  
  
He mouthed on about something, as beautifully flawed as ever. The rays of light shining on his cool colored hair and warmed each tuft with a vibrancy that resembled a fine lapis lazuli cut. Rambling and more rambling, 2D was very animated. His arms stretched out, pointing at various sights, or like the messiah nailed to the cross. He was so enamored with the day, Meryn couldn't put a finger on whether it was due to being back on his meds or if he was just trying to distract her from the obvious lukewarm behavior he displayed the day prior. It was hard to tell. As much as everyone pinned him for being stupid, he was good at playing the part if it meant he'd get off scot free. It worked from time to time with Murdoc and 2D would be spared an ass beating. Silently she watched him parading about, so distracted that he barely noticed she wasn't listening.  
  
_Is he trying to avoid eye contact with me?_  
  
_Or..._  
  
_Is this supposed to be a distraction?_  
  
_Maybe..._  
  
_But what if he's genuinely happy, and it's just me making a big deal of everything?_  
  
Whenever 2D turned to gauge her for a response, Meryn nodded and smiled all while swallowing fluctuations of guilt and insecurity. He slowed to a stop and hopped beside her to walk side by side. His head still swiveled in every direction like a kid in a candy store, pointing gleefully at things that caught his eye and yammering on about God knows what. "AHHH!", he yelled peeking into her line of sight from the straight stare trance she'd been in. Meryn jumped and snapped to attention. He pouted,"Yew listenin' t'me? It's about t'start soon!"  
  
"Uh...", she drew a blank.  
  
"Let Me In?", he asked stretching his neck outward as if it told her everything she needed to know. She didn't answer, only shrugging with little care for whatever he was referring to. 2D's head tilted to the side in question, "Haven't yew seen Let the Right One In? Well, there's this remake being premiered early-Real early! It's s'pposed t'be released in the fall!" Meryn slowly nodded look off to the side sliding her hands in her jean pockets,"Oh." He frowned slightly and his shoulders shrunk in frame,"Been awhile since we saw a horror flick together don'ya fink?" Like nothing, he bounced back to being giddy not even a minute later. He was certainly excitable. Practically hopping in place awaiting her input. Meryn tried to be nice, the least she could do was respond. "I didn't actually see the original but--", she started squirming under his stare but was shocked into genuine emotion at his immediate reaction.   
  
"WOT?!", he shouted so loud that onlookers turned to see what the fuss was about. "Oooohohoho! Yer gonna LUV iht!", 2D chirped grabbing her wrist and ran speedily walked off in the direction of the theater. She blinked staggering behind him unsure of her feelings when he was constantly putting new circumstances in front of her .  
  
They took their seats in the dark room. 2D wanted to sit all the way in the back at the very top. Meryn didn't particularly care where they sat, and merely sighed in relief of being out of the later summer heat. He hadn't let go of her hand the entire time, as if she'd run off the moment he turned his head. "Oh uhm-Uh", he stuttered,"I didn't offer yew anyfing..." His head suddenly hung low and he released her wrist. He seemed so sad, the way his bottom lip pooched out in defeat. "It's O.K.", Meryn quickly proclaimed,"We can get something later." 2D shook his head," Sorry...I'm not too gud a' tha' whole dating fing..."  
  
Without warning, Meryn's heart exploded in her chest. "What-What do you mean?"  
  
"I'm a guy, yer a gurl, we...we're a' a film...", seemed self-conscious for a moment before sporting a confident smile,"Ah well, I still got tha' rest of tha' day t'do a gud job."  
  
2D snickered at the shock splayed all over her face and leaned back into the chair. She had no idea what to say and stared straight forward with her heart fluttering about. Somehow she had missed the cues and telltale signs. That was a lie, as she knew well the reason why she hadn't noticed. Restlessly her fingers grasped at the armrests trying to calm herself and bring her back to a state of clear-headed thinking. Yesterday, and his behavior leading up to their escape from Plastic Beach had given her reason to doubt him. In regards to what, she didn't know, but in order to protect herself she would sooner be a bitch than allow herself to be heartbroken. Yet, as he sat beside her in all his dorkish radiance, she wanted to trust him so badly. This was 2D, not some asshole intent on using her. He smiled flashing all his dental work or lack thereof in eagerness as the lights dimmed. The movie was up both their alleys, but Meryn had a hard time focusing on the story as a whole with his words repeating in her head.  
  
With a heavy-hearted sigh, she slumped in the seat. Sudden unease or the feeling of being watched, she was unsure. Her head swiveled in the direction of the feeling and she came face to face with none other than him. 2D stared right at her, his eyes were staggering in the dark with the light of the screen lighting up half his face. Meryn couldn't look away caught in his big-eyed gaze. He began to mouth something but leaned forward whispering in her ear instead. "Yew ol'right?" His breath smelled heavily of tobacco and earl grey tea. It came out warm against her ear in a low tone rumble that made every fine hair on her skin stand up. She shuddered and found it impossible to look him in the eye this close. She knew she'd never be able to resist him. "Mhm", she swallowed hard and finally answered. He retreated from her hair and faced her with a single raised brow,"Culd I do sumfink?"  
  
With her eyes forward she breathed deep and nodded,"Um...sure."  
  
"Culd yew look a'me Kat?"  
  
She scoffed bitting her lip. He was asking her to give in. Let go of her suspicions and allow him to offer her a permanent distraction from negative thoughts. But. She obliged turning to face him. 2D smiled, and like clockwork, he leaned in. A very simple kiss pressed against her lips and he pulled back embarrassed,"I ol'ways wanted to kiss a gurl on a movie date." 2D snickered bashfully and studied her expression. Her lips were parted and in her eyes, he saw innocence for him and him only. He made serious the goofy look on his face and leaned back in, this time, she met him halfway and melted mouth to mouth with the man in which she was deeply in love. Brown eyes fluttered to a close and Meryn sighed as their connection flowed back and forth. In perfect sync with each other, her head tilted and her hand caressed his jaw hinging and unhinging at the teasing of his tongue. Lengthy fingers brushed the wavy violet colored fringe behind her ear and for a brief moment, he pulled away lightly suckling her bottom lip. A few inches apart, he eyed her with his narrowing voids and chuckled becoming flushed in the cheeks. Kissing always led to something more without fail, however, 2D smirked and turned back to the screen as if he hadn't just taken her breath away. There was no way she'd be able to concentrate on the rest of the film after his unforeseeable act of intimacy brewed dirty urges. His long arm stretched out and wrapped around her letting his forearm hang off her shoulder and dangle against her chest riddled with shallow breathing. Crossing her legs, she went stiff and pushed away the weakness threatening to express itself in between her thighs.

* * *

  
"I'll show ya the original when we settle sumwhere!"  
  
2D chirped jumping to his feet the literal second the credits began to roll,"Now then let's find somefink t'eat!"   
  
They wound up snacking at a litany of concession stands along the boardwalk; fries, pizza, funnel cakes, and soda galore. 2D stood by eating a slice like a starving animal. Meryn smirked at him nonchalantly pulling at the cheese that threatened to drop onto the paved walk away. "Wot?", he asked with his mouth half full. She shook her head looking elsewhere, what they landed on, was the ferris wheel oscillating slowly. Following her line of sight, he smiled,"Oh yeh, eva been on one?"  
  
Meryn cackled out loud dismissing such a ridiculous idea,"No. Hell no."  
  
He pouted with the rest of the pizza stuffed in his mouth,"Wha' reeeally?"  
  
"I'm afraid of heights so...I always avoid things like that."  
  
From his side, 2D's freehand rose into the air and he swallowed the lodged food in his throat,"S'not scary, wuld it help if I went wiff ya?" If her face could've gone white, it would've. Baffled and flabbergasted, Meryn stammered on another explanation batting her lashes in bewilderment. "Yew won't fall! Promise!", he offered a reassuring look and stepped closer placing a heavy hand to her twitching shoulder. "There's this lil bar fingy tha' holds yew in--And I won't let ya get hert rioght?", he smiled brightly mid-babble and switched up his tune last minute,"Yew don' hafta though! I'm nawt gonna force yew t'do sumfink yew don' loike..." His yammering was cute, and always managed to make her smile. Even though she was scared, Meryn wanted to let him wow her the way he intended. After all, they were apparently on a date. "O.K.", she gave in laughing nervously. She'd done it only because he was her weakness. No matter how great the height, his gapped toothy smile was incentive enough to at least try.   
  
"Rioght!", he said wiping his greasy residue from his hands with a dinky napkin. Grabbing her hand, he walked her off with her towards the greater fairgrounds area. "I love fings loike this, I used t' werk at my old man's funfair ya know?", over his shoulder, he ran off at the mouth thinking of simpler times. "Oh yeah", she suddenly remembered at his mention,"I read the Gorillaz book that was released a little bit after you guys split..." 2D's brows rose in astonishment,"Really?! I still haven't even read it!" She smirked,"Are you serious D?"   
  
"Yeh, I keep forgettin' to--But ya know its kewt tha' yew were readin' about me." At the very thought, his smile widened further and further until he was grinning from ear to ear. "I read about all of you", she corrected him,"But yeah O.K...It was mostly you." He blushed giggling to himself as they came to a stop at a ticket kiosk. From his back pocket, he pulled a wad of loose cash and placed it all on the counter,"Two of everyfing pleeze." Feeling accomplished, he winked down at her leaning onto the wooden surface,"So Kat, wha' woz yer favorite part then?" With her hands bridged over each other, she thought for a moment,"I dunno...well I remember this one part now that I think about it..." From her lap, her hands rose and dove into his hair. He went bug-eyed and blank in the face,"Yeahhh?"  
  
"You mean to tell me that the reason your hair is blue...is because you fell out of a tree?"  
  
He snorted bursting into laughter,"Well--Yeah tha's how it happened!" Meryn pursed her lips,"But how does THAT happen?" Her hands pulled lightly at his roots and she eyed carefully the unnatural hue that was present all over his body. "So weird...", she trailed off in awe pushing his hair back with the palm of her hand. A full view of his pale skinned visage put on display for her to see no longer framed by blue. His mouth tightened awkwardly and the burgundy undertones in his eyes flitted to the right. His ears stuck out a bit more than she thought previously and the features she thought she knew were reexamined. A gray tired rim outlined the wide open staring orbs watching her movements. 2D swallowed uneasily and the apple in his throat bobbed,"Weird?"  
  
"Oh!", she gasped suddenly removing her hand from his hair,"I didn't mean you look weird or anything--Or your hair--" It seemed like she accidentally hurt his feelings with her lagging explanations and forgetting how to put a sentence together. Embarrassed, she covered her face with her hand and restlessly tapped at her thigh with the other. "Um", the ticket attendee awkwardly inserted himself in their uncomfortable silence sliding two golden paper bracelets across the countertop,"Put these on and you get access to any ride."  
  
"Fhanks", 2D said sliding them forward and beginning to saunter off. He stopped short at Meryn's lack of movement and backed up walking her off to the side with him. "Did yew stop werkin' Kat?", he teased half smirking at her debilitating embarrassment. "Hnnn", sufficed as a response at the refusal of lifting her head or removing her open palm from her forehead. "C'mon Meryn", 2D sighed taking her twitchy hand from her side. Wrapping the golden paper around her wrist, he tore the sheet from the adhesive surface and secured it. "So wot if yew fink I look weird, I fink so too!", he said with little difficulty tending to do his own bracelet. "I think you're beautiful", she spat out sliding her hand down her face. His mouth hung open for a moment and upturned into a bashful smile,"D'ya nao...? Coz I remember askin' yew years ago and yew said no."  
  
"I was lying", Meryn plainly answered knowing the exact moment he was speaking of,"I was mad at you then."  
  
He nodded wrapping the flimsy thing around his wrist holding it in place with his teeth. "Yeh, tha' woz a doozy."  
  
"Let me...", Meryn volunteered to fasten the bracelet in place for him. "But anyways, back t'moi hair colour", 2D nonchalantly resumed the earlier topic," Fell outta a tree when I was 10 and ol' moi hair fell out--Tha's the reason I get these soddin' headaches y'know? I woz bald for a full year, yeah? And when it came back it woz this colour."  
  
"If you hit the ground from a different angle do you think it would have been red instead?", Meryn teased with a smirk.  
  
"Oy! Tha's enough lip outta yew!", 2D complained smoothing the hair atop his head. "Heh", he winked suggestively, playfully patting her snide lips with the tips of his fingers,"Save tha' lip f'later when ya need it kitty Kat."  
  
At the entryway to the ferris wheel attraction, the two of them were led to their seat. The bar he spoke of that would prevent her from falling out was even more distressing than she thought it'd be in flimsiness. "Awright, if yew get scared jus hold onto me and close yer eyes", he spoke confidently folding his arms across his chest. Slowly the Ferris wheel turned lifting them off the ground. "Iunno about yew, but I'm ridin' everyfing!", 2D declared eager for more thrills. He chortled watching the stiff as a board way she sat beside him. Aimlessly kicking his feet, it rocked them back and forth a bit tilting forward and consequently giving Meryn a horrid view of the ground below. She held her breath and moved at lightning speed to ensure her safety yanking his arms to her chest. At the very top, the wheel stopped momentarily allowing them a picture perfect view of the coastline. Ocean spread out for miles and speck people lined the beach in the distance. The sun would begin setting in the next few hours and remained high up in the clear blue skies. "Pretty", she mumbled against his shoulder peering over at the view. 2D looked down at her fondly with a sigh,"Yeah."  
  
  
  
"Thank you!", Meryn called back at the ride attendant following after 2D trying to keep up. He wasn't kidding, he really intended to ride everything available.  
  
Tilt-a-Whirl, Merry-Go-Round, Go Karts or as he called them, "Dodgem's" made up the retreating afternoon. She couldn't resist the child-like happiness emitting from 2D and joined in. It was more fun than she thought she'd be having today. "Hey Kat!", 2D shouted waving beside a photobooth,"Wanna take a pic wiff me?" He drew the curtain back peering inside at the little setup in curiosity and held it open for her entry. It was a bit cramped and left no room for personal space. It was to be expected when two tall people try and fit in anything. She plopped in between his legs that hilariously stuck out from the booth and held her own tightly together with her back arched against him. Her knees pressed against the extension of the tiny space even when she tried to make herself compact. To someone else, the sight might've been embarrassing or laughable, but for someone like 2D, he didn't pay much attention. Besides, it was more engaging with her body pressed against him. He flashed a pervy grin for a split second that registered on the LCD screen's camera view display and resumed trying to navigate the thing with limited arm and leg room.   
  
"Awright darling", he said as cool as he could wearing his signature charming yet intimidating smirk and stare. On cue, Meryn smiled small careful not to expose her teeth.  
  
**Snap**  
  
"Why're yew hidin' yer smile?", he asked making a smarmy face at the camera. She pouted.  
  
**Snap**  
  
"Stop looking cool and smile D!", Meryn teased tugging at the corners of his mouth getting a frazzled grunt of complaint in response. Cheek to cheek she sported a bold wide grin. "Cheese!", they said simultaneously.  
  
**Snap**  
  
"Kay las' one", he shook his head removing her prying fingers and poked at her cheek, wrapping both arms around her form. Her head tilted inward and rested naturally on the crook of his neck. Her eyes closed inhaling his scent and she buried her face against the thin fabric shirt. His frame was bony and the surface was firm. To her surprise, his head rested against her own as he rested his chin in the pillowy waves of her hair. The ponytail cushioned in between them and his arms possessively held her in place. Meryn's lips parted and she looked up at him and his sweet disposition. Watchful dark eyes landed on her and he leaned in over her shoulder placing a peck on her right cheek.  
  
**Snap**  
  
Two camera rolls of their shots printed out and waited for them as they maneuvered their way out of an inescapable box. Once finally free, 2D laughed out loud pointed at the each of them for some reason or another. "Yew look loike a fangirl tha' way yer lookin' up at me!", he chortled and hissed trying to contain himself. "You look like you're plotting something!", she retaliated pointed at the second. "Tha's cause I am!", he proudly declared,"And its f'me to know, and yew t'find out!" She hadn't a clue what he meant by that, but found that she couldn't stop smiling at the mystery. His head jerked towards the beach urging her to follow,"Let's go find out then."  
  
The sun was setting, things were looking a bit gray and cloudy compared the how the rest of the day had been. The number of people outside dwindled down to a lesser but older crowd than before. Couples in the late teens or early adult years seemed to get further and further away the more they walked. "Where are we going?", she asked noticing he was leading her away from the public. "I pulled some strings", he said over his shoulder," Called in a favor y'know?" In a few more steps his came to a halt and turned around giddily grasping her shoulders, "Wanna sit near the water, Kat?"  
  
Shoes torn from their feet, they settled near the rising tide. Feet in the sand and wind blowing from the ocean breeze, the fringe that framed Meryn's face blew backward and all around with long beachy fly aways tickling his skin. She laughed sticking hands into her hair, untying the ponytail and letting it all fly free. Leaning backward, 2D held himself up at the extension of his hands in the sand. He smiled admiring the wisps and array of waves or curls that dusted over her shoulders to the moist oceanic air. "I never thought I'd like the beach again", she mumbled dreamily at the fleeting light of the setting sun. Earthy toned eyes pointed at him from the corners of her almond tips, watching him watching her. Some kind of corny inception, but sweet nonetheless. Her gaze fell in the awkward intensity to the water reaching up to touch her toes, then retreating back towards the horizon.  
  
**Pop.**  
  
A sudden loud crack sounded bouncing off the beach itself. Meryn almost jumped, sitting up straight then shooting a questioning look to the man gone silent. He sheepishly grinned simply pointing up at the sky. Kissable lips parted and she saw what he meant. Leaning back, she stared up at the magic and colorful sparks dancing about in the gray sky. "Wow...", she said softly,"I haven't seen fireworks this close since I was a kid." On her elbows, her head tilted up enamored in the spectacle of her young romantic life. "When'd you have time to put this together?",she asked gazing in his direction. 2D shrugged bashfully playing with the ends of his hair,"Iunno...I paid a guy and got this section of beach f'just the two of us." She looked at him a bit different, taken aback almost. Earlier in the day, she had been quite rude in the grand scheme of things. And here he had spent his time, money, and effort to take her out on a date. "D...Thank you...", she started trying to put an apology to concise words,"I'm sorry for how I was acting earlier." He blinked, a flash of anxious minded panic was evident for just a second before he replaced it entirely with another toothy grin,"Don't worry about tha'."  
  
Meryn smirked sitting up suddenly, the smallest amount of hurt in her eyes registering to even him. She caught that. He could tell even high as he was. What did surprise him was how quickly she moved. In one moment she was standing before him in pain, in the next, she ran off trudging through the water. 2D flinched staggering to a stance and tailed her. "What're yew doin'?!", he yelled yanking her wrist before she'd gone any further. Already thigh deep in the cool salt water, she jerked away and continued on her own. He gulped holding the rejected hand to his chest and watched with nothing more he could do.   
  
**Pop.**  
  
Cracking and fire showering from above lit up the skies and reflected on the span of the ocean. Meryn laughed hysterically, shaking her head in disbelief of how stupid she'd been to let her guard down. She ignored her name being called from a short distance and kept going. She gasped at a sudden wall of water that took over her entire body and smiled at the threat of death that could easily sweep her away to drown. As it all pushed past her, she held her stance with one foot forward daring another to knock her down. Wiping her face she blinked continuously at the burning sensation of salt water in her eyes and flung all the heavy drooping hair down her back. She didn't know what it was she was doing. Whether it was to make a point, to punish him, or to punish herself. But whatever it was, it was exhilarating.  
  
Meryn held her breath at the approach of another rising wave and stood firm, but found herself turned in the opposite direction with uninvited arms wrapped around her. She stumbled and fell into the water before she could comprehend what was happening and tumbled about in the strong waves until the water receded. Hacking and coughing she regained balance shooting a glare at the inconveniencing presence. "Are yew O.K?!", 2D coughed shielding his eyes from the ocean spray. Something possessed her. Something that told her to confront him guns blazing. Stamping through the lower leveled water, Meryn kicked water in his face. "HEY!", he yelled in alarm but stumbled backward at her imposing confrontation. Just a few inches below, a hellish roar spat out at him from the woman he'd been admiring just moments ago, "WHY ARE YOU PITYING ME?!"  
  
He shook his head,"I-I'm not!"  
  
Meryn bucked on offense, her features twisted with rage and frustration,"Then why can't you look at me without making THAT face?!"  
  
2D's hands shot up on defense, and he winced expecting to be hit, "Wot face?!"  
  
"Don't play dumb!," she yelled tripping to keep up with his retreating backward stagger. Her right hand flew out for him grasping at his shirt and pulling him down to her eye level,"You're running away from me-Why are you running away from me?!" He whimpered furrowing his brows,"Cause yer scarin' me!" Meryn paused and released him taking a step backward. Her lips curved into a deep frown and she teared up immediately staring down to the water at her knees. No one was allowed to see her break or cry. She messed up and showed 2D that side of her, and never got over how weak she must've looked to him. "Hah", she cackled wiping her eyes quickly,"Don't make me out to be the bad guy here." All she could see was the colors of the rainbow reflected on the surface of the water and his unmoving stance standing nearby. Forcing herself to look him in the eye, she jerked her view up at him. His face was full of sorrow, and his mouth was so tightly wound it seemed his smile would never return. Awkwardly he motioned for the shore, shivering completely wet and with his hair dripping. His lips parted and he seemed to be mouthing something,"Pleeze?" Meryn swallowed the bitter pill of the events unfolded after they'd had so much fun together, and inwardly spouted words of contempt at herself for her explosive tendencies.  
  
Back on the beach, she plopped to the ground dripping wet with hair hanging over her eyes, 2D followed suit dropping down to his knees and wringing out the drenched shirt clinging to his skin. "Wha's wrong Kat...?", 2D asked sorrowfully,"I fhought yew were havin' fun wiff me..." She pushed back the urge to sob like a child with a painfully false smile. "I did-Am-- I am having fun with you!", Meryn exposed pearly whites and clenched her eyes shut in efforts to avoid looking him in the eye. 2D's head turned ever so slightly and he shook his head weakly," Doesn't seem loike iht t'me..."   
  
The fake smile melted off her features, and Meryn fell dead silent. Her eyes were stuck on him, and her heart was lodged in her throat. "You've been lying to me about something...right?"  
  
"...No, I...", he couldn't complete the sentence, because he knew it was indeed a lie. Sitting across from him, she was exuding all the anxiety she'd been harboring. Her fingers wormed into the sand and clenched at the cool moisture, and she focused on examining each grain to commit to memory. This was it. Everything had come back to haunt him, and it appeared that he might lose a good thing. He lowered his head licking his lower lips,"I um..., I'm jus stressed out Kat." More excuses were said in desperation, and although he knew he was digging himself a deeper grave, 2D couldn't bear to finish everything they'd been since his capture. She was all he had and more. The thought of breaking her heart, was, in turn, tearing his own apart. A large hand yanked at his shirt, the emotional turmoil becoming a physical pain to bear. Meryn's mouth was turned downward, and her lip quivered awaiting some sort of final blow. 2D could take it no more and swallowed the painful lump in his throat. His hands dove for hers yanking them from the shifting earth, and he brought them to press against his firm bony chest. "I'm nawt lyin' bout anyfing Meryn", he said shakily. "Promise", he sniffled wrenching his mouth into a trembling smile, "I luv yew, I really do."  
  
His heart was beating quickly despite how shallow he was breathing. Sighing, she glanced over to the roll of snapshots they'd taken resting between their shoes. "Can you prove that 2D?" Swallowing the lump in his throat, he looked back over his shoulder in the direction of the hotel,"There's only one way I know how t'do tha'..." Holding his knees to his chest, he eyed her state, "If I do tha' nao...it'd be kinda messy coz we're ol' wet and in the sand though..." She snickered running low on sanity,"Sex?"  
  
"Mmhm...but nawt if yew don't wanna..."  
  
Sex was the only fix he knew of that worked, and coincidentally he happened to be good at it. It didn't really matter to him where or when he proved this. If she asked him to take her here and now he'd do it. After all, it's the best way to form a connection with someone. Right? And in regards to love, he figured making love would suffice. "Want me to prove it here and nao?", he asked oddly flat and carelessly. She didn't answer. He turned his entire body to face her and loomed over her in a crawl. Meryn laid back on the sand avoiding eye contact and turning her head away from him. 2D didn't seem all that disappointed. He quietly remained there awaiting any kind of command or request to come his way. Instead, he was given a question.  "What am I to you?", she whispered more to herself than to him. Still, he went ahead and answered,"We're dating, aren't we? So...a couple."  
  
Meryn's gaze met his hovering above,"I'm your girlfriend?" He blinked and nodded in an acceptable amount of time rousing no suspicion thankfully. "Would you be hurt if I ended up with someone else?", she mumbled shielding her puffy eyes from being viewed plainly. The question caused his expression to change. 2D hadn't thought about anyone else trying to steal her away but Murdoc and the very hypothetical situation was almost as distressing to think about. He thought about it seriously, furrowing his brows and wrenching his mouth in different directions until he came to a conclusion. Hands grasped at her waist and he rolled over pulling her on top. Meryn started to question it, but let it go. His arms were possessive grazing over her back and under the wet shirt. She wasn't allowed to go anywhere after asking something like that. That much was understood without his response being uttered. 2D sighed lying on his back in her place,"Yeah, I'd be upset...it'd be loike b'fore."  
  
She sat up straight straddling him as he silently watched from beneath her. Wordlessly he ran his hands over her thighs at his sides. On her knees, Meryn leaned back watching the remainder of fireworks go off and ignored the slightest twitching protrusion poking at her womanhood from below. "Do ya loike tha' fireworks?", he asked closing his eyes. "They're nice", came answered half-heartedly. Between drenched denim he was responding to her weight and the warmth between her legs. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't turning her on, but was this the extent of their relationship? Just sex? Meryn leaned forward grinding against him placing her hands on either side of his head. One dark eye opened and in response, he rolled his hips back. "Let me ask you something...", she started, continuing the rhythm of her hips,"How are you going to prove it, if we have sex all the time?"  
  
"Each tiome is different t'me...", 2D replied clenching her hips assisting her arching movements. "I don't do iht just t'stick it in yew Kat, I loike doin' wot I do t'yew...", he swallowed opening the other eye,"And wot yew do t'me." Breathing deep, she traveled the length of his body with intrigue,"What're you saying? That everytime you're inside me you're expressing your feelings for me?" His eyes fluttered to a close,"Yeah, sumfing loike tha'." 2D's cheeks went red and he swallowed hard, undeniably turned on by the motion of her body against his. "If sex is communication...", she whispered an inch above him,"What is my body telling you right now?"  
  
"It says--", he gulped,"Tha' yew want me." Meryn smiled brushing against his lips,"Almost. I want you to want me." She sat up again with a hefty sigh shaking her head of the urge to act, and to her surprise, so did he. Fingers grazed over her skin peeking through the air drying T-shirt she wore as he pulled her completely onto his lap. He shifted his weight sliding his hands underneath her shirt. Gripping at her ribcage he lowered his head watching the continued rhythm teasing his lower half. Sliding past the bra she wore, his touch grazed over sensitive areas and got an audible reply. Meryn panted feeling his hands roam and arched her back. Immediately an arm snaked around her and traveled up her spine, the other pushed the bra aside and lifted her shirt enough to get a peek. Riding his lap, her exposed skin appeared before him and cushioned his face in between watching with heavy-lidded eyes the way she stared at him. He helped himself to spoil said flesh, trailing his warm tongue along the rosy erect peaks. He took one his mouth and closed his eyes moaning with a desire to please her.  
  
Her arms wrapped around his neck and her hips came forth tantalizingly slow. "We need t'go back to the hotel", he mumbled with her breast between his lips moaning lightly at the slow back and forth of his hips. He released her and relished in her muted moans, "If yew wan' me, let me give it t'ya moi way." Calming himself down he ceased her teasing movements with the denying pressure of his hands on her hips. Quickly pulling her shirt back down, he looked around thankful that this area was cleared of patrons and away from the glow of the lit boardwalk. At the worst, the fireworks guy set up a quarter of a mile away might've noticed them fooling around but no one else. 2D's gaze landed back on her, looking down at him with curiosity. Resting his head against her chest, he closed his eyes,"We can take a baff, order in, and I'll show ya how I feel wiff moar than jus this hard-on yew've been rubbin' up on." Embracing her tenderly, 2D said the word she wanted to hear,"Let me love yew moi way. Whaddya say hm? Meryn?"  
  
Resting her chin in his damp hair she gradually began to nod. Softly and gently she returned the embrace sighing,"I love you D."  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmkay. Things have been leisurely but everything is going to unfold soon with multiple characters and progressing timelines. So here's an update or an idea of what to expect. The next chapters are a countdown of sorts to Rhinestone Eyes which is mentally draining to even think about right now lol. It'll probably be the longest chapter ever because its a converging point for everyone to meet back up again. That'll be Chapter 60 and by that point, I'll be about 55% finished with Polarity. And well...pretty much everyone knows what happens after. 2D will be "gone" for awhile and that leaves Meryn with my home skillet biscuit Murdoc for a bit...which I'm looking forward to honestly because imaging him and my O.C. is hilarious. I've been writing since April of last year although I uploaded in August, and all my plans and happenings are set in stone. I have a timeline and shit, a messy Gorillaz facts notebook and an entire bio flow chart thingy for Meryn, 2D, and Murdoc, etc. Everything so far and everything to come I've decided on long in advance. It just takes some time to flesh out the happenings as they go in my daydreams. Thank you for reading and your patience. My eyes hurt so bad. This screen is so bright...I'll upload again on May 23rd, which is hilariously 2D's 40th birthday. *cringe*


	54. Only Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a theme here...that'll be noticed almost immediately. *cough cough*

"Mmh!"  
  
She moaned with her cheek pressed against the wall. Heavy-lidded and her chest grazing along the glossy finished surface, Meryn gasped for her life. Back arched and ass up the pounding of a lifetime was knocking the air out of her labored lungs. Ambidextrous hands on her hips gripped harshly and made red the afflicted skin. On his knees, 2D steadily thrust up inside her. A man of a clumsy nature was only precise when engulfed in the world of a woman. Curiously he leaned back for a different point of view, still maintaining his balance, he eyed the way he disappeared inside her from behind and took note of how nicely her backside took the impact. Dark eyes roamed the rest of the sight gradually from bottom to top and back. Every hit that took place was absorbed by her womanhood. Her back would flex and deepen the arch of her breaking spine, all while freshly washed hair clung to her shoulders and flung forward and backward. Sighing, 2D let his hands travel the landscape. Simply running a gentle hand from place to place over her skin committing her strained muscle movement to memory. His own flimsy physique had no trouble with vigorous activity. On the balls of his heels, he maintained perfect control, and the little muscle mass he had became identifiable whenever he entered her.  
  
With a strenuous smirk starting to tug at the corner of his lips, 2D came forward pushing the hair that landed between their bodies back over her shoulder. Humming to himself in bliss, he embraced her from behind wrapping his long arms around her shaky form. He nuzzled against the crook of her neck with a chuckle, parting his thin lips to lap at her sweet spot. His tongue flattened and dragged along her jugular making her scattered moans more frequent with over stimulation. Lips brought together, he sucked at the flesh rather carelessly in regards to leaving a mark. She panted and writhed at the hickie in progress, mumbling incoherent words of delight. He continued on to the next leaving a trail of love bites and bruised spots in his wake. Breathing deeply, his arm wrapped around her neck and gripped her shoulder. In a possessive but painless headlock, he rest his head against hers and closed his eyes. The free hand glided all over landing on her left breast to gather a handful. His movements became a bit frantic and the hand that caressed a single mound sporadically ran fingers over every inch. In between his thumb and index, 2D squeezed the peak rolling her tissue between the padding of his abnormally long digits.   
  
Hard chest against her straining spine, no matter how much she squirmed he wasn't letting her go anywhere. The harsh rhythm became harsher, and his speed increased to an impossible rate that made edging any longer just as impossible to accomplish. Gradually he began to lose it. Giving into the feeling of her body against his and the way her womanhood clenched in anticipation. Before long, he ceased teasing and put his energy into fucking his personal cock sleeve. His limbs fell and frantically grasped her hips. His brow furrowed and his lips parted in the rising climax soon to take place. Thrusts stopped and were replaced with slamming her down on his lap. "Ouh...p-push back Kat", he moaned in a wavering voice. Meryn obediently obliged and kept the pace for him. "I'm cumming", he sighed suddenly tightening his grip on her hips. Her world brought him to orgasm, and in a matter of seconds, he was gasping as he burst from the pressure. A rush of warmth took over her walls and she smiled at the sensation bringing her movements to a slowed stop. He breathed in deep raising his shoulders, then exhaled letting them fall into a slouch.  
  
One of the things he was known for in his hypersexual days with endless one night stands, was his stamina. It surprised them everytime that he could keep going and going as if he were born to please. No doubt about it, he was as awkward as any man coming to terms with his sexuality and steadily understanding what it was his partners wanted. Rather than get in, get out; he took much more pleasure in making a woman feel good. Even if things didn't go as planned and he got off on his own, he would always see it through to do the same for whoever was lucky enough to bed him. Sex for a period of his adult life was all he had going for him. What else are you supposed to do when you lack the confidence to form a meaningful relationship? It didn't change the fact that as a man, 2D had his needs and urges like rest of them. Years ago, before everything had unfolded, before his eyes had become permanently blackened, they were a vibrant sapphire blue. His sight was clear and there were no dark areas in his peripheral. He could see the world clearly, even if his medicated mind couldn't all the way comprehend just how unfiltered and harsh the world around him was.  
  
Not knowing what the future held for him, he'd go about each day as leisurely and spacey as always. Stuck in his head and at times standing completely blank for hours until someone tapped his shoulder or shook him to attention. The last girl to see him before his lights had literally been knocked out was none other than Paula. She was nice back then. She'd come in for guitar strings every couple days because her stompy hands plucked them apart and greet him nonchalantly with the simple raise of a hand whenever entering the store. Not the prettiest girl ever, but she held a conversation with him at checkout with her thick East London drawl. Every sentence ended with "yeah" and her twirling her calloused fingers through her pitch black hair as she practically talked his head off. He'd awkwardly smile and nod at every nagging story she told referring to people he'd never met before and circumstances he had nothing to do with. After a long while of holding up the line with her endless chatter, she'd finally asked him his name and said he was a good listener. "Stuart!", he answered jerking to attention with his hands held tightly at his sides, "But, no one really calls me tha'...its either Stu or Stu Pot."  
  
As a regular, they saw each other often and he'd chat her up in hopes of maybe making her his girlfriend one day. As a sort of testament to the first older girl who led him into early manhood and left him behind, he'd keep trying to get a girl worthwhile. One that would stay preferably. I didn't matter if she was ugly, overweight, a different race, or even a previous man. As long as a woman stayed he'd consider himself satisfied. When he finally had the nerve to ask her out, he stuttered and gracelessly tripped over himself like a true spastic. But Paula smiled shaking her head in a pitying manner until she shrugged and answered with,"Yeah O.K. sure." She always thought of him as an idiot, and he was well aware, however, the first time he'd been physical with Paula she briefly changed her mind in the very least acknowledging that he was good for something. There dating wasn't that long, maybe just over a year of one-sided discussions and her tolerating his presence. It wasn't quite like the relationships he'd seen in the movies or heard of from his schoolmates, but by the time he graduated secondary school he'd gotten used to the fact that he wasn't all that engaging to talk to. Decent job, surprisingly decent grades, decent girlfriend and a fitting decent life.  
  
That, of course, all changed.  
  
One moment he was spacing out at the register and the next he was face to face with the bumper of a car. And then darkness. It was an instant outage that had little pain, or rather there was no way to register the pain of your face being crushed and subsequently severing the neurological connection at the spine. There was nothingness between him going comatose and coming back to consciousness with the intense scathing pain of eating the pavement at 80mph. When he opened his eyes all he saw was red. Fitting, since the first person he saw, was practically the devil himself. A grungy looking man at least a decade older than him stood with his mouth agape. As he stood up, Stu Pot shook his head, trying to fix the lack of depth and the red tint that wouldn't go away. He stared confused wide-eyed and unable to comprehend where he was or how he'd wound up in the middle of the street. The unknown man approached him and stuffed him back into the car he was violently thrown from. He was returned to his home a hunched over bloodied mess with the arm of a strange man hanging over his shoulder and saw the shook of his parents faces. He hadn't seen himself in a mirror, not that his vision would have allowed him to see himself clearly anyway. The man marched him through his own home somehow knowing which room he occupied and shoved him at the nearest keyboard, only offering a towel to clean the supposed blood off his face. Only playing a couple chords, the man grunted in a low brow snicker as if he'd come up with an ingenious plan.  
  
"From now on, you're 2D. Kid, this is your lucky day."  
  
Given a new look and a new name, not an hour after he'd come out of his vegetable state, he hadn't a clue what was happening or that he'd been asleep for so long due to an accident this random man caused. After explaining from his panicked mother and an alarming amount of prescription grade migraine pills he'd had a tenuous grasp of where his life was now headed and to be honest he didn't mind. It could've been the heavier than usual dosage or the fact that his injuries had worried Paula to tears apparently. Once he knew she cried for him, he had it in his naive head that it meant she would stay. For awhile all she did was pop up unannounced during his recovery asking how he was and how he felt as each day passed. When he finally returned to work, he had exciting news to tell her. He'd be apart of the formation of a new band! Finally, he was useful in more ways than one. An endless knowledge of key-based instruments and the ability to play them all. The night before he'd only been singing some simple lyrics to himself and suddenly he was dubbed the lead singer! Two members were joined by another at random, with a big black American man who had eyes almost as chilling as the newly named 2D, and all they needed was a guitarist.   
  
Lucky! He knew a guitarist! And pretty well he'd boasted. Things seemed to be going well until his girlfriend had gone elsewhere and lost interest in him entirely. No talk had, or understand to come to. Paula had made her disinterest clear being raw dogged in the dirty bathroom stall of Kong Studios. Even after all the pleasant times, he thought they had together, she had cast him aside even when Russel exposed their betrayal. She called Murdoc nonstop, like a woman obsessed and he ignored her without a second thought. That's how disposable she was, and she still gave the founder of this to-be legendary band the time of day. So then what was he doing wrong? She said he was "nice", so where had Stu Pot gone wrong? He wasn't sure. Besides, Stu Pot was long gone and replaced with 2D. He swallowed the embarrassment of being made a doormat and moved along in efforts of discovering who 2D was and how he'd fare in getting a girl to stick around. The quick rise to fame and stardom were sure to help. And it certainly got him a woman otherwise unattainable to an ordinary man. Rachel Stevens was actually a nice person in comparison to Paula. They'd had a cute start to a relationship, he'd even uttered an "I love you" he was so enamored. But it was premature and to be destroyed by very same cause as before.   
  
Murdoc. Always Murdoc. Even his new identity had trouble getting someone to stay. In the midst of being bullied, beaten, teased, and taken for granted, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Although he hated being treated so badly, he was thankful that he'd been given a purpose. The recurring slaps across the face and never being allowed to have a functioning relationship were the price. And he'd accepted that. When his purpose came crashing down, he at least found solace rolling around in the ashes. Fame and success follow you wherever you go, and 2D was happy to accept the slew of women throwing themselves at him for his attention. At some point, he noticed the grittiness of the world without a filter and found himself getting lost in the unfiltered harsh world of unprotected sex. Every day there was someone new in his bed, and it wasn't until he contracted an STD that he realized he might have a problem. The clap was something he heard about back in high school, and he thought to himself, 'I guess there woz somefing I'd be usin' in the real world!'. It was definitely unpleasant, but the perks of having a mother in the medical field ensured a quick recovery.   
  
It did not, however, rid him of fatherhood.  
  
The faces of women were all an amalgamate of the female form and he genuinely couldn't remember anything he actually liked about them. Any of them.  
  
2D sighed once his breathing returned to normal. Emotionally numb, he pulled her away from the wall marching backward on his knees and urged her onto all fours. In silence, he traveled the length of her body with the palm of his heavy hand.  Over Meryn's curves and tugging at her waist he admired the visuals getting a delayed but attentive reaction from his lower appendage still held between her walls. Instinctively, she pushed back against him, not yet allowed to feel as good as he did moments ago. He knew what she wanted, and what he promised, but 2D wasn't finished being caught up in his own convictions. Actively being selfish, he pushed his hips forward and spread apart her backside. Meryn playfully swirled her hips round meeting each thrust with her own twists and turns. It was porn. Everything within his view; ass up, pussy spread and stretched to his size. He moaned tilting his head from side to side examining the location of his sensitive length and the soft flesh exposed at the parting of her slit. His hips drew back until only the tip of his manhood still remained inside. The tool that he used to feel alive was twitchy, veinous, and turning a bright shade of red near the head. Looming above he spat her warm folds and shoved himself back inside.   
  
She gasped and looked back over her shoulder with her mouth wide open in surprise. Hunching over her, 2D grasps her shoulders and pulled her back hard. Slow but deep, he claimed more gasps and mewls of disbelief. His hands traveled down the length of her arms and grasped her small wrists. Meryn's arms used for leverage brought her lower half colliding with his a number of times. He sighed and balanced on one knee while the other bent forward in a stance. His legs spread wide and he could feel her softness pressing against blue pubed sperm supply. "Mm", he moaned feeling her body stroke and play with his cock. Gradually, she became restless and wound her body in different tantalizing directions. Voice hitching, he synced up in speed tilting his head up for the ceiling. "Ah God", he mumbled closing his eyes,"Yew have no idea how gud yew feel, Kat..." Giggling she gasped at every sharp push inside with her face fluctuating from pleasured to bracing.  
  
The pressure on her wrists tightened and 2D threw himself about wildly overtaking her motions with a continuous earth-shattering punch at her womb. The beating at hand was endured by her fucked orifice and the cushioned padding of her butt and thighs. "HnnNNnm", she grunted harshly with a wavering shriek in her throat. Flashing a dick taking glare over her shoulder she didn't mind his selfish needs being met first. The look on his face was a reward for her endurance. "Ah-S-Sh-Shit...", he chuckled in ragged breaths with a silly look on his face. Meryn grinned deliriously always paying attention when he was moments from succumbing to her body. "Cum-For--M-Me, D", she begged between impact. His heart beating a million miles an hour, he gasped hunching forward erratically ramming into her. His breathing became shakier and shakier until he couldn't hold on anymore. Before losing it entirely he grasped her hand and pulled her back holding her in place as he spilled over twitching immobile between her walls. Motionless, his body went stiff and his jaw dropped flinching from sputtering release and frantically blubbering until 2D shouted and shoved himself at the barrier of her cervix,"Take it--Take it! AAH!"  Meryn clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut with the most confusing feeling.  
  
His cock stabbed at an unmovable wall and put unfathomable sob-worthy pressure against her anatomy. He held that spasm inducing stance for what felt like forever and caused uncontrollable tremors to tear down the remainder of her strength. Eyes rolling back she capsized and fell forward held upright only by his frozen state in a shrill pitched whine. "Ugh!", his jaw clenched and a second wave was emptied within her. She squirmed and shrieked completely full of him already, and flinched at quickly it all overflowed dripping down his overworked base and trickling down her thighs. With a strained groan, he released her from the torture of over stimulation and Meryn fell forward like a pile of bricks. He gasped in urgency a bit flustered and light-headed catching her by the hand before she face planted onto the carpet. She hung limp shivering from his single-handed aid and was lowered gently.   
  
Wincing, he removed himself from her heat stroking from shaft to base releasing a single drop of what he held inside onto her neglected clit. "H-Hey? Ka-Kat?", he whispered a bit hoarse and throaty kneeling forward into her ear. She didn't answer in English or possibly couldn't remember how to at the moment. She murmured something against the carpet and continued to shake or twitch every so often. Her hair had mostly dried and curled in different directions at the ends of each strand. Air dried aside from the sweat near the crown, it all needed to be dealt with and soon. She'd made that a point whenever he tried anything fresh out the shower. 2D's mouth tightened and he retrieved the comb she hadn't gotten to in time before she found herself against the wall earlier. His hands twitched hovering over any part of her body that he approached, but he swallowed his clumsiness pulling her up from the ground.   
  
"Hm?", she sounded half aware, lifted and turned around to face him. "Yew alright...?", 2D mumbled narrowing his eyes and sectioning off a portion of her hair with his hands. It was weird. In the blur, she could've sworn his eyes had gone entirely white as if he'd seen a ghost. She leaned forward blinking the confusing sight of him out of mind. Either sleepy or just wanting to cuddle, she rests her head against the cool naked surface of his chest. "Kay...", he sighed trying to fix her hair now without waking her. He may have gone overboard again, and the thought was already starting to eat away at him. "Do yew feel used by me?", he whispered rhetorically to himself. "No", Meryn foggily replied to his surprise. Nervously chuckling he combed out the kinks starting up at the bundle of ends, "O-Oh, tha's gud..." He gulped guilty,"When yer ready, I'll make yew cum too--I mean--If yew want..."  
  
"It's O.K. you don't have to."  
  
2D frowned dropping his arms by his side. "Yew didn't get off, Kat", he was beginning to have a fit for some reason. She hummed thinking to herself what she would normally do if a guy complained about it. "And don' try and tell me ya did, coz I know tha difference", 2D said matter of factly raising his voice to a disgruntled octave. Her body stiffened as if he'd read her mind and Meryn peeked up at him with one wary brown eye. He looked away immediately turning his head,"Don' say its O.K. or tha' I don' have to. If you don't want me to, its gotta be because yer too tired or sumfing--Not coz yew fink I'm done wiff yew."  
  
"...You're mad at me?", she sat up blinking herself to attention. Something was off, just like what she figured at the beginning of this hectic drawn out day. But now it seemed to be for a different reason. "2D? What's the matter?", Meryn asked as gently as possible. He'd gone quiet, facing a different direction and defying her for reasons even he didn't understand. Licking her lip, she caressed his jaw turning his head to face her. It seemed like he tried to resist for a moment, but went limp once he regained eye contact with her all-knowing brown-eyed stare. A small smile pulled the corner of her lips and she cackled a little nervously. "Finding it hard to look at me?", she laughed making a self-deprecating joke. "Yer gorgeous Meryn", he quickly answered nipping that in the bud before it grew in size. Laughing meekly she awkwardly fiddled with her fingers, "Not quite what I meant but...Then...whats wrong?"  
  
"Yer askin' me wha's wrong?", 2D grumbled fleeting eye contact, "Yew've been mad at me ol' day coz yew fink I'm lyin' bout sumfing. Tha's wot..."  
  
Meryn's smile faded,"I'm sorry. I won't doubt you anymore. Promise." It's what he wanted to be told, but he could've done without the apology. It only made him feel worse for pinning it all on her when he knew she was rightfully paranoid. "Don't 'pologize Kitty...", he murmured patting her head trying to distract from any further finger-pointing, "I've jus been...stressed out iz all, yew did guess me rioght sayin' tha' I worry bout Murdoc too much..." She opened her mouth to speak but no words came for a moment. "So it **was** just the Murdoc thing?", she asked coming to terms with being wrong," Wow...I feel stupid."  
  
"Don'..."  
  
Shaking her head she laughed at herself,"No, I'm sorry." Bitter in the face she offered a smile acknowledging she'd almost ruined their relationship with her accusations. "I owe you an apology D, you've been nothing but nice to me and I got all...", she shook her head searching for the word,"Weird." His blocky brows rose and fell in painful astonishment,"St-Stahp actin' loike I'm perfect..."  
  
"You are perfect."  
  
2D's mouth curved into a sorrowful frown and he exhaled the breath he could've used to tell her the truth. The truth that he had no idea what love was and had only said so hoping it'd somehow spark an epiphany and magically, everything would fall in line. He understood now, why she hadn't said it first. She was protecting herself from getting her hopes up. 2D swallowed the lump in his throat. She now knew him like the back of her own hand after almost a year in close quarters. His mannerisms, body language, expressions, hell she could even see beyond the pitch black voids and into the true blood colored windows of his soul. But if it upset him, she would let go of suspicion, blame herself, and beg for his forgiveness like she was doing now. That's who she was. Shoulders falling into a pitiful slouch, 2D had never felt so low. This guilt was going to kill him no doubt, but he'd sooner die by his own stupid hand than break her in the process. Fighting back the rising panic and resisting the urge to cry and beg for her forgiveness, 2D bit his lip,"Lie down luv."  
  
Right then and there he came to terms that he would never understand love. But the closest thing he could give her was ignorant bliss.  
  
Meryn leaned back obediently, and it put a genuine smile on his face.  
  
Forever confident in bed, 2D was a prodigy of intimacy. Fond and almost pitying her, he had to do this. Do something. Make up for it somehow.  
  
Shyly, she stared at his nudity as if she were in the presence of a male supermodel. The reality was a peculiar tall man with the body of a twink. But the glimmer and twinkle in her eyes always was a genuine attraction and undying admiration. On his knees, he drew back and settled down in front of her spreading her legs. Scooping her legs up, he folded them against her chest. The unannounced wet warmth made an appearance between her legs and she mewled at the heat of his mouth against her. His mouth clamped down on her trembling flesh eying the automatic reaction of her body squirming about restlessly. Starry-eyed and in love, Meryn ground back. Long amorous humming and coos of encouragement sung through the air. She watched him curiously furrowing her brows caught in his starless orbs, watching him watching her. Kissable lips pulled into a smirk and cinnamony brown eyes rolled back the second his tongue came in contact with her clit. Involuntarily her hips jerked forward a few times, and his head swayed from side to side leaving nothing neglected. Flicks of the tongue and passionate suckling of her folds as if Meryn were a delicacy to be experienced with more than one sense.  
  
After a moment, he let go of her swelling sensitive regions peeking over the horizon of her pussy. Playing with her he teasingly licked at her entrance, rimming where he'd recently been before plunging back inside with his oral muscle for a change. "Mm", she moaned feeling his presence wriggling around a few inches inside her. 2D's hands roamed her body sliding the length of her torso and grazing the pads of his fingertips over her rosy peaks. She gasped and her lips curved into a mischievous smile. Tonguing the bundle of nerves he tilted his head concentrating on getting more coos of encouragement. Subconsciously her own head tilted with him as her hand dove into fields of blue. Through his hair, her fingers clenched and pushed drooping unstyled locks back to see his face. Batting her lashes she sighed pushing stubborn hair behind his ear and shyly took the gentle but dominant force in his skillful maneuvering tongue. He blinked and halfway smirked, finding her soft sounds of ecstasy to be the perfect distraction from how cowardly he actually was.   
  
She pressed him harder against her vulva, biting her pooched out lower lip. He was spoiling her; gauging how she moved her hips or how her eyes rolled back, he would clamp down and suck every aching nerve that melted at his touch. "I love you", she murmured on cloud nine grinding against his mouth. On her words, he no longer felt the gut-wrenching guilt, only the utmost disappointment in himself and an undying desire to make it up to her. His pace changed straight away, and he ate her out to completion. "Oh-O-Oh-Ah!", she panted clenching his hair keeping in place over the one spot that drove her wild. His lips closed in around her clit and sucked at it no matter how much she squirmed against him. Meryn's hips came forward and she arched her back having convulsions start out where he remained located. They quickly spread throughout the rest of her body and she came with a shrill girlish squeak that was quickly followed by a raunchy grunt that forced her canines into the soft pink flesh of her lip. Her toes rose her inches off the floor as she gasped out in a panic. Pulsing sensations continued and she moaned out in ardor a mess of a woman grasping his damp cerulean hair. The orgasm had her guiding his movements with a firm hold against his skull riding out the waves against his tongue  
  
From below, 2D blinked removing his mouth from collecting his reward. The reward being her undying love, the sweet nectar of a woman who truly felt loved, and above all...The fact that she wouldn't be questioning him again.  She bucked forward wincing at the sudden release and panted shakily stroking the underside of his jaw with love in her warm brown eyes. "Heh", she chuckled catching her breath,"You're really good at that..." 2D offered a shy smile, cupping her hand that caressed his chin. "I try", he said trying to be as humble and modest as possible, so to not look like a cocky twat. Being a liar was bad enough, 2D hated the idea that he would be both a liar and an asshole. He'd known he was good at tonguing women for years and it was nothing new. Still, he did like her unraveling before him. Licking his lips, he sat up and pulled her up from the carpet as well. His eyes narrow and his mouth held in a tight line, he played with the few stray hairs sticking to her face. His hands moved from strand to wavy strand until they both wound up with handfuls of violet hair. Meryn cheesed a big dopey grin exposing the small gap up front and center. "Yer wonderful luv", he sniffled mirroring her smile. "I really fancy yer hair", he mumbled distracting himself in the soft curly bundles. "That makes one of us", she said in a pout. 2D cracked a genuine smile, his shoulders bounced as he snickered and shook his head,"Oh shush, yew." Meryn jokingly swatted at him sporting a rather amused smirk,"Wanna know what I 'fancy'?" She leaned in pressing her lips against his throat, brushing the soft skin against his neck for a peck. "Mmh-me?", he asked shuddering at the chill traveling down his spine. Her hand trailed down his lanky long form and suddenly contained the underside of his intimate bits in the palm of her hand. "Hrmph!", he sucked in air and giggled raspily with a particularly suggestive glance downward in surprise. "Dear Lord", he swallowed jitterily,"Don' yew ever get tired?"  
  
"Nope", she coyly answered against the nape of his neck,"But you don't either."  
  
2D gulped blinking rapidly in astonishment,"I don' fink there's anyfing left, luv." At that, she whined drawing away to look him in the eye. Her lashes batted up at him, and her pupils seemed to dilate,"Well..." Tickling the underside of his manhood, glared,"Regardless, you're going to give it to me. Aren't you? D." His eyes widened and instantly he broke a sweat. His jaw unhinged, and his mouth hung open with an almost fearful look in his eyes,"O-Oh. Y-yeah..." Overworked and fatigued of a sperm count, it still managed to get a rise out of him, and it was made clear at the flinching bump against her stomach. "Wow", she chuckled a little embarrassed,"I can't believe that worked." Suddenly he frowned and wrenched his lips into a pout,"Of course it werked...Gurls takin' charge loike tha' is ol'ways a turn on."  
  
"Hmm, is it now...?", Meryn smirked a little, for some reason a bit flustered herself.  
  
"Yeah...r-remember when yew found me in tha' stall way back las year?"  
  
"Mmhm."  
  
"Yew had me speechless when yew stroked me gud...", he trailed off struggling to look at her. Brow raised, the corner of Meryn's mouth twitched,"Oh yeah?" She glanced downward for just a moment, judging whether or not she should truly do what she wanted. Not ridiculously hard, but not flaccid either, the extension of himself pointed forward at her fluctuating in height to the tune of his heart palpitations. The hand cupping his jaw caressed his clean-shaven skin, with fingers grazing about lightly. "Tell me more", she said lusting for him to elaborate. "A-And when yew dropped t'yer knees-", he stopped short and went lewd in the face. "Ah-hah", he panted leaning backward a bit at the tugging of his protrusion, practically swallowing his lip enraptured with twisting and turning of her wrist. "Yes?", she said softly,"Keep going."  
  
"And--", he panted leaning forward again,"I ol'most came tha' second yew stuffed me in yer mouf."  
  
With a glossy stare, Meryn watched him try and recall the first time they'd done anything. She continued on slowly jerking him along in anticipation of his continuance. "Yew looked a' me wiff those pretty eyes of yers, and bobbed noice and slow on moi knob", his voice hicced and his hips came forth on their own,"Yew felt so gud ol'round me..." 2D swayed a little, shivering as he briefly rest his head against her shoulder,"Know somefing else? I luved tha way yew swallowed moi load." She blushed resting her head against his and moving her other hand from his jaw to dive into his natural texture hair,"Anything else?"  
  
"Uh huh", he moaned shuddering at her fingers grazing along his scalp. Her hand grasped and stroked at every inch, each time warranting a warm sigh to come heavy and raw in her ear. "Yew looked so gud tha' day, dressed up ol' skimpy--Yew have no idea how badly I wanted to bend yew ova and make yew say moi name." His voice was low but weak, 2D was practically putty in her hand. No not quite, putty could never be so hard or throb against her fingertips. With his desires in his throat, and weighing heavy on his tongue thrusted against her tugging and lifted his head from her shoulder. Meryn's heart skipped a beat when she saw his face. Heavy-lidded, lips parted, and his eyes scanning her with a level of urgency so severe all he could do was whimper. She saw for a second, the rust-colored irises disappear back into his skull before they resurfaced again. "Ouh", he moaned with his eyes fluttering just staring at her. "I wanted t'do so many fings t'yew when yew found me in tha' hell hole--N-No, I wanted to way back at Kong ever since yew acted loike a liddle cock tease and laid on me--", he was shaking and stuttering all over panting at her increased speed. "When we got back frum tha' gala event, I went t'moi room and wanked so hard finkin' bout bein' inside yew", 2D admitted moaning in close proximity of her lips. He quickly mashed them against hers with both hands holding her head in place. The pressure was harsh and desperate, when he let her go he giggled dizzily in a jittery chortle. He came right back this time breathing her in deeply while attached at the mouth. Swirling the makeshift soft tunnel of her palm he shuddered into her mouth, their lips smacking and heads turning in sync. She broke away and whispered against his panting breaths,"So did I."  
  
"Ahn...Gawd...", he muttered.  
  
"Wanna know a secret?", Meryn whispered tantalizingly slutty in his ear. "When we first started sleeping next to each other, and you thought I was asleep, I watched yew jerking off in the corner of the room." He started to stir but was cut off before he had time to be ashamed or embarrassed. "Even though your back was turned, I saw your shoulders fall and you stuck out your hand until you sighed", murmuring against him she licked his lower lip,"I knew you came, and I got so wet." 2D whimpered beginning to lose his mind. "You went to the bathroom, washed your hands and came back to bed. I rubbed my clit until I fell asleep", she smirked swirling her tongue with his. "Heh really?",he moaned with his tongue stuck in her mouth,"Tha's so hot."  
  
Although he failed to understand the complexities of love, he certainly understood the feeling she was giving him. It was one of the things that he could honestly say he did love truly. The fact that she, like him, communicated through sex was ironically the closest they'd ever be to mutual understanding and mutual love. Even though it wasn't enough to keep her happy forever, Meryn's body told him that this form of love was always accepted and reciprocated. The other girls would grow tired of the nonstop physicality, as they had time and time again. They'd question his motives, or call him a sexual deviant. A pervert,an addict, and above all, inept to true love. It was always the same. He didn't consider himself a bad person; he'd respect a woman's wishes and never force someone. He simply stuck around until there was nothing salvageable or another willing girl came around. 2D thanked his lucky stars that Meryn and he were friends first. Even better, there were plenty of things to like about her other than sex. Like--  
  
"A-ah..."  
  
He came and consequently lost his train of thought. His long fingers grazed along her jawline and he bowed his head breathing deeply with shuddering spasms until his manhood expelled a little puddle in the palm of her hand. "Hm", he sighed relieved but a bit exhausted, placing a trail of pecks along her neck; smiling when she giggled and laughing out loud when she tired of his overly sweet affection and mischievously open mouthed kissed away at his boyfriend-behavior pursed lips. "Yer kewt--But so so bad, luv", he laughed mumbling into the lip lock. "Hush", she cackled, grinning against his mouth. Looking into her eyes, for a moment, he caught a glimpse of the future. Their future. If he ever managed to settle down, why not do it with her? Out of nowhere, her clean hand pinched his unsuspecting nipple, receiving a bug-eyed gasp and his lovable imperfect 2D grin. Gold crowns, spaces, and his adorable snicker. His brow rose suggestively and he broke the connection,"Careful, luv, unless yew wanna spend the whole nioght on yer back."  
  
"And that's a bad thing?"

* * *

  
  
Outside the door that could easily be shattered to bits, the Cyborg listened in to the happenings just beyond the barrier. Moans and sighs galore, it certainly wasn't anything unheard of before. Countless times, she'd heard the pair and grew accustomed to their constant mating habits, and if nothing else, the two of them were nothing compared to how horrid Murdoc sounded in the act. Grunts of sexual origin and typical guttural noises that accented his gross bizarre tendencies were normal either way when it came to Murdoc. On its heel, it pivoted away from the door harboring hostility having been charging all day after an unexpected shutdown. One moment she'd been dragged around by her detachable hand, of course by none other than the tall busty one. And along for the walk was the weak lead singer, who stumbled behind the two of them. Then, there was nothing. Sudden darkness and a cease of existence. The very next time she'd been conscious, she had woken up in her charging room on the boat they'd taken. All the wiring and cords that jutted out from its limbs and head had been plugged in by someone, but who? Cyborg Noodle grumbled to herself, figuring it had to be Meryn. But still, it didn't explain how the boat had wound up closer to their temporary headquarters. Meryn and 2D were too incompetent to know how to sail a boat, and the Cyborg was the one who'd gotten them here in the first place...  
  
Suspicious, it turned its head in the direction of the shore. Eyes narrowed into fine lines staring daggers of annoyance at the vessel rocking in the waves outside by the docks.   
  
"Um?" An unknown presence spoke at her from behind.  
  
Cyborg Noodle quickly turned its entire body in defense throwing the person against the wall instantly. A young man appearing to be in his late teens or early twenties blinked back with his glasses slumping down his horrified face. "S-Sorry!", he blurted out with a nervous chuckle. His crystal blue eyes shook back and forth staring down a good foot in height difference to the force holding him up against the wall below. Wrung by his shirt, the smaller form showed no intention to let him go, said nothing, and ignored his plea. The boy blinked awkwardly, and his lips curled up in distress, "Could you put me down? Please?" As hard as he could he grinned down at the young woman waving his hands about in a submissive avoidant manner. It stopped sooner than he thought it would in the delayed silence, and he was dropped. Slumping against the wall, he fixed his shirt, sidestepping away from whatever the hell was possessing this petite girl. The second he so much as moved, Cyborg Noodle's head turned to face him.  
  
"Uh...", the man gulped drumming his fingers restlessly with his back against the plaster. "Look, I wasn't trying to scare you or anything--", he began to explain staggering aside further,"I just saw you standing outside this room and figured you were locked out or something." Slowly, the petite body turned towards him. There was nothing she could say, and even if she could what would be the normal response if not attacking someone suspicious? "Do you...speak English?", he asked leaning forward for a glimpse of what she looked like beneath all the choppy fringe. Lips parting, the cyborg opened its mouth but fell short of attempting speech with a bizarre rasp. "Are you...", he suddenly started signing pointing his index finger to ear, mouth, and then to her,"Deaf?"  
  
It wasn't out of the question to ask. Cyborg Noodle sighed, pushing the hair out of her face. Reaching into the pocket of 2D's jean jacket, it fetched the little notebook that'd come in handy so far. Hastily scribbling down a few words, then turning the notebook around for view, it tilted its head to the side hoping this would suffice.   
  
'What do you want?'  
  
He leaned in a tad further, still cautious of being lifted off the ground again by someone so much smaller. He squinted, pushing his glasses to the bridge of his nose with a single finger. "Oh, so you're mute...", he said taken aback a bit. He began to pout and looked a little disappointed," Like I said, I just thought you were locked out." Rolling his eyes he scratched the back of his head, making a mess of the brown short-haired style he sported. "My buddy works down at the front desk so I was just...ya know, trying to help...", he trailed on and on as if to arouse sympathy rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. Cyborg Noodle lessened her glare, a bit thrown by whoever this person was. Who he was, his purpose being here, and why he was staring at her so hard.   
  
'Why are you staring at me like that?'  
  
'Is it out again?'  
  
He seemed confused, tilting his head in question. "What do you mean?", he asked raising a brow. Self-conscious, she tugged at the borrowed jacket, covering her chest and mindful of another slip-up. "As for me looking at you...", he continued trying to make conversation." The man cackled awkwardly with his shoulders bouncing about,"Well, I just think you're pretty. That's all." As if she'd realized who she was with his words, Cyborg Noodle flashed a curious twitching smile. "My name's Sam", he said covering the flushing of his cheeks with a free hand,"What's yours? If you don't mind me asking..." Emerald green colored orbs flickered down to the carpet staring at his feet. She didn't know what to say. She had no official name, and what everyone called her was just what she happened to be. A cyborg, meant to replace someone she'd never met before. Head lowered and shoulders fallen, she merely gave into the dissatisfaction that she had no identity.  
  
A look of concern took the color out of his face. She hadn't answered a very simple question but didn't seem reluctant to. Upon closer examination, the young woman stood completely motionless. 'Like a machine', he thought. Her lips were left parted and her eyes had gone wide with frustration. "H-Hey", Sam extended a hesitant hand placing it on her frail shoulder. "HEY!", called from down the hall. Both of them turned their attention to the interruption with the tilt of their heads. "We found some rubbers, so we're headed back", a bulky shirtless man said leaning against the wall for a moment. Another from behind peered from over the taller man's stature,"Who's the girl?" Sam opened his mouth to speak, eying the peculiar one standing by his side," She's uh-Um..."  
  
The shirtless man rolled his eyes pushing himself off the wall,"Whatever, man, let's just get back before they change their mind."   
  
"Y-Yeah, gimme a sec", Sam stuttered nervously biting his lip. He quickly turned his attention to the curious female watching him from below with wonder in her eyes, just then noticing that his hand still remained on her shoulder. "Sorry", he apologized removing his hand from its place,"I'll see you around O.K.?" It was difficult to leave her for some reason, Sam stepped backward offering a small kind smile and waved as he turned his back to her making his way down the hall to meet with his friends. The cyborg frowned furrowing her brows together emoting clear unhappiness. At the end of the hall, the man called "Sam" joined the two questionable people that looked at her in what could only be described as indifference. He rounded the corner, making eye contact with hers just before disappearing out of sight. False arm extended for a man that was no longer there, the cyborg grumbled stuffing the notebook back into the denim jacket pocket.   
  
If she wanted to see him again, she needed an identity, she gathered imitating a thinking posture. Fingers pressed against her chin, she thought and considered what she needed in order to obtain one. First and foremost, a name. For a moment, she looked at the door containing the intimate pair she came here with. 2D was a moron, and Meryn was a brute, she inwardly thought of what she considered to be their most obvious characteristics. But as she had spent some time alone with her, she came to realize that there was more to a person than one or two identifiable traits. Meryn could be a brute, but she was the only person to look at the little and inexperienced cyborg and saw a glimpse of an individual beyond its mechanical makeup.  She had taken the time to converse and even dress her. Staring down at the hand-me-down floral dress she felt very feminine for once and wondered if this is what made the big breasted shapely woman she knew, attractive to her creator and his stooge.   
  
Before she understood why her limbs took her elsewhere. Away from the pair and looking to explore companionship on her own, Cyborg Noodle was taken by the one who'd chosen to speak with her. Down the hall, she ran like a girl who'd discovered the opposite sex for the first time with an odd but excitable look on her face. The promise of the unexplored being at last within her false hands, and the fiery thrill of finally understanding the physical aspect of two people. Where Sam's hand had been sent strange signals throughout her body that were foreign yet familiar at the same time. She sought for more, craved and deserved it. No more watching others, if she wanted to be human, she needed a hands-on experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my favorite blueberry boy-man's birthday and he's 40(ech) and wonderful and I love him. My interest in his bumbling idiot ass, his tendency to get beat up, and his nonstop directionless rambling is what made me so fond of his character. Needless to say, the second I heard his speaking voice I was sold. And his sassy remarks in Phase 3 are a delicacy to be experienced over and over again. I needed to save this poor poor teddy bear from the drunken green man and before long I started thinking up this entire fan fiction around this time last year. Bless his adorable heart and face. And thank you all for reading!


	55. Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My favorite Noodle clone is learrrrninnngggg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got all swamped and stressed out. And then, I saw him. The blueberry boy. In short shorts. He is so radiant and fucking happy I had to just sit here and type everything out. My boyfriend notified me that my second love was wearing booty shorts with a product placement for Beats by Dre, the leader of the Gang Green Gang with a receding hairline replaced Murdoc, Noodle looks like Sasuke Uchiha(pre revenge), and Russel was needlessly mean. Also Jack Black, what??? I'm so full of emotions right now. Also, drunk editing this.

"Hey, Sam!"  
  
The same old same old for a ordinary easy going guy like him. As interesting as the petite young woman was, Sam still had an objective to complete. Blinking himself to attention and adjusting the glasses at the bridge of his nose, Sam looked back to the group of men he'd been adamant to impress. "Who the hell was that girl?", the man with the shortest stature asked looking back over his shoulder as they rounded the corner of the 5th floor together. Sam shrugged dismissively pressing the button to a lower floor several times with the padding of his thumb,"She didn't say." The two men behind him exchanged looks but followed suit seconds later with the shrugging of their own broad shoulders. "Whatever man...",the tallest uttered being the first to enter the elevator. Sam lazily slouched against the cool metal surface eyeing the man from the corner of his eyes,"Whats that?" He rose a brow in concern staring at the contents between his fingertips. "Never seen condoms before?", the man chuckled elbowing Sam to loosen up a bit. "Not that", he said firmly standing up straight. His entire body turned towards the object in question and a single finger pointed out the capsules behind neon colored contraceptives,"That."  
  
"Just a little extra help."  
  
Crystal blue eyes squinted harshly up at the man. "That's not what I think it is...right?"  
  
Both men sighed at the arrival of the lobby level floor, the moment the doors came apart revealing the lively tourists going about their late night ventures, the man stuffed both items of interest into his pants pocket. "I knew you were going to get all in your feelings about it", the man snickered sucking his teeth. "They're already into us", Sam complained becoming a bit choked up at the very idea of something so drastic,"So why would that be necessary?!"  
  
"Chill", the giant man said rolling his green eyes,"We bought it for you, just in case."  
  
"In case what?!"  
  
"Shhhh!", both men shushed in unison clasping their hands over his open mouth, "It's just to help you seal the deal..." Together they grasped his shoulders and dragged Sam out of the hotel. "HNRH", he grunted and kicked in complaint. The defiance in his breath and actions went ignored by many passersby until finally, he was let go. "SOYOU'REDRUGGINGTHEM?!", came belted out at the top of his lungs grabbing the attention of skimpily dressed tipsy women standing by. Immediately the hands returned slapping over his flapping lips. "What the hell dude?!", the shorter man whispered in earshot flashing reassuring looks to the unsuspecting girls watching the ongoing outburst. Gradually, the girls lost interest walking off down the crowded boardwalk with drinks in hand. The very moment they were gone, a swift swing came knocking the glasses off the distressed man's face, "Shut up!"  
  
He couldn't believe his eyes or ears. Even as his lenses fell to the concrete he was baffled at the gall they had. "What they don't know isn't gonna hurt em', so you can stop acting all prudish about something everyone does...", scowling the man held the baggie containing date rape drugs out for view. "A-Are you serious?! Everyone???", Sam looked around trying to lower his voice from going any higher,"There's nothing prudish about NOT wanting to rape girls!"  
  
"Hey!" Another slap collided with his mouth. "I'm not gonna tell you again to be cool--Or do I need to let Leo know you're having second thoughts?" At that, Sam went silent. Arms falling by his sides, he sighed swallowing away the rising desire to vomit even at the implication."O.K.", he murmured,"But I don't need it, I won't strike out this time."  
  
"What're you thinking about, that little Asian girl from the hotel? Little Miss No Tits?"   
  
The both of them looked at each other and laughed rolling their eyes. "You can do better than her, what about that cute blond we picked out for you earlier? Huh?", hands on their hips, the two men were the lowest of the low to Sam. Inwardly he was beginning to regret ever pledging for a pretentious fraternity like Sigma Delta Phi. They'd been dragging him up and down the boardwalk all week, as a part of their early spring break courtesy of their ringleader with endless funds, Leo. "The blond is fine, let's leave the random girl out of this please?", groaning Sam rubbed at his cheek beginning to sting from the backhand moments earlier. Rustling the chestnut brown hair atop his head, his seniors watched him with pitying eyes, "Alright alright, just don't fuck it up again and strikeout. You do that or try to run your mouth again, its back to paddling."  
  
Every hair on his body stood up at the simple sentence. He shuddered and loathing even considering returning to the hazing of the months prior. "Can we just go?", Sam said lackluster, shrugging away from any more belittling pats on the head,"Let's get this over with." With coy grins displayed on their faces, they wouldn't let him shy away. Bold arms hung over his shoulders and preceding to walking him to the hotel the drunken girls were staying. Close by, someone or something was watching. Just out of their line of sight, artificial eyes studying the small group of men carefully. More so, the curious young man she'd had the pleasure of coming across. Cyborg Noodle tilted her head from side to side, switching from lens to lens in order to scope the contents of the tallest man's pocket. Some pills and contraceptives that she recognized from her creator's own messy trove. She knew what the colorful plastics did, but the pills were a mystery. Whatever it was, she gathered it wasn't good by the reaction of the one called "Sam".  
  
As they walked off, she couldn't help but to stare a hole in his back, and without understanding why, her feet moved following after. It was a strange occurrence that never happened before, there was always logic behind her movements, but this was different. Something about this man was enticing, piquing her curiosity, and drawing her in. She needed to observe more, she needed to understand why her body wouldn't obey. Moreover, she needed to define herself and experience life the way normal people did. With no knowledge on what to experience first, she decided on a doable task. Intimacy. Eyes on the one she'd chosen, she thought back to the numerous times she'd witnessed her creator partaking in voyeuristic screenings of 2D and Meryn's sex life. With only two men to analyze, she gathered what they each wanted and surmised that it was typical of that gender. If she followed what Meryn did, it should work out in the determined cyborg's favor. A grin slithered across her face, taking note of the tall hotel building they just turned into. What she felt this was brand new. Excitement. As big and bold as the smile plastered on her face, this was the closest she felt to being human, and Cyborg Noodle had no intention of going back.

* * *

 Through the haze and fluctuating crowds, the flickering strobe-lights made it difficult to see. His eyes in harsh squint, Sam scanned the layout of the top floor. Extravagant suites and 2 pents were occupied, filled to the brim with women. Bare legs and cleavage galore, it was a frat boy's heaven. His seniors sat themselves down and were immediately swarmed by gorgeous bodies. All of them, all of them were high in the clouds. No inhibitions and ready to throw themselves recklessly into any man's arms. Searching the room for the blond he'd said two words to earlier, he covered his nose sniffling at the array of scents and irritating the lining of his nostrils. Too many differing perfume scents, and what smelled like an ocean of cologne were joined by the undeniable scent of sex itself. Even as he made his way for the common area, he passed rooms left ajar for anyone to view the activities within. Threesomes, groups and girl on girl petting took place everywhere he looked. Outside every door was a crowd of young men, same as him, trying to impress their superiors in hopes that the borderline psychopathic hazing would cease.   
  
Somber and mentally fatigued, he sighed staring at a nearby tabletop with discarded colorful drinks left and right. Some with the evidence of fizzling chemical reactions still taking place at the very bottom. For a moment his hand hovered over one of the neon green beverages, and for a moment he considered the mindset of such people, drugging women to get what they want. The granny smith apple green color reminded him of the witch in Snow White with her famous poison apple somehow. Without his knowing, he clenched at the plastic cup and cracked the corners, consequently spilling the liquor onto the hardwood floor. "Shit!", Sam swore coming out of the contemptuous daze as he raced for the kitchen sink. The moment he got there, he dumped the rest of the contents out and watched it disappear down the drain.  
  
Looking around, everyone seemed so occupied with their own selfish desires. There wasn't a soul that didn't have someone in their personal space, except him of course. No matter, it made it easy to do what his internal code was telling him. In a flash movement, Sam went into overdrive pouring out every fizzling drink in sight as stealthily as possible. Noticing the bottle nearby, he concurred what gave the drinks their artificial coloring and replaced them accordingly. The same as last time, he'd spent his time making sure everyone else was O.K. Helping people out of their drunken stupors, cleaning up vomit, and consoling the young women from the embarrassment of their promiscuity. But now he knew what made them that way, the date rape drugs his superiors had been slipping in their drinks.  
  
Sam's stomach turned at that thought, even more disturbing, the fact that he was oblivious and couldn't stop it. But, with the baggie of similar looking drugs sitting behind boxes of cereal on the counter, he could. A hand darted for the bag tending to rid them down the drain. Different colored pills scattered into the sink rolling down the incline out of sight. Quickly turning on the faucet, the water cleared the rest of them from view and sent them to dilute in the pipes.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Quickly and clumsy, he turned around sporting a coy smile. A drink in hand and leaning onto the counter he shifted from foot to foot playing it as cool as someone like him could. His heavyset pledge master eyed Sam's twitchy demeanor, an eye squinting in suspicion. "What're you doing over here by yourself?", the man joked deciding to forget his gut feeling,"You plan on bar-tending the entire night?" Running a hand through his deep chestnut hair, he shifted from foot to foot. "N-No sir, just uh making the rest of the special ones." The chubby man smiled,"Good man!" Slapping his meaty hand on Sam's shoulder he leaned forward eyeing the finished concoctions. Mirroring the man's energy, he nodded being pulled away from the counter by the shoulders. "Alright", his pledge master advised over his shoulder,"The girl that was down to fuck earlier tweaked out a bit so we had to get you a different one."  
  
"Oh!", the stocky man suddenly darted for the counter retrieving a drink. Handing it to Sam, his eyes flickered to one of two closed doors," She's in that one her name's 'S' something I don't know just seal the deal, man, you and Rodriguez are the only ones who haven't completed the pledge. Best hurry up, or I gotta paddle you, Leo's choice." Shuddering at the thought of additional hazing, Sam gulped dragging his feet to the door in question. He took a deep breath and entered.   
  
"Hiiiiii!", immediately greeted him from across the room. The sound of pounding music thudded through the walls, with the addition of muted moans from both rooms next door. On her toes, the young woman stood wavering back and forth with a sloppy look on her face. Long hair was tussled all over her back and straggly strands badly framed her face. "Heeey", he awkwardly said back with a shrill squeak. Closing the door behind him, he drank the drink that was supposed to be for her, whoever she was. Wincing he tossed it back, hissing in disgust. Sam wiped his mouth setting the empty cup aside and made his way for her,"Uh what's your name?" Before he got there, he was attacked. The girl darted at him sloppily and frantically tonguing at his mouth. She missed by a mile and lapped at his chin answering his question,"zAMAnTHAAA." With her eyes closed and her head bobbing left and right, she was just doing it for the hell of it. "Ahaha you're a 'Sam' too huh?", Sam murmured turning his head away.  
  
The woman groaned mashing her mouth harder against his jaw and anywhere else she could manage,"WhaTevr jus-fackmeAwlreadY." Sighing he numbed himself to the idea of sleeping with someone so sloppy drunk. He'd had enough of avoiding slews of plastered women and dealing with all of these sex-obsessed people. He was beginning to be disgusted by the very idea of it, he'd seen so much. Every single gathering he'd been to was the same, whether it was the pressure from his frat brothers or drunken girls jumping his bones. Mentally exhausted and with no intention of undergoing any of the degrading things he had to do to get to this point he figured he might as well get it over with. At least she wasn't drugged.  
  
Through the haze and heavy atmosphere of numerous people engaging in sex acts, someone out of place stood in the foyer of the extravagant pent. High tech orbs surveyed the strange place, shifting about in search of a single person. New sights, sounds, and smells flooded the immature artificial being. The scent of alcohol and sex was odd here, and far from the standard she'd gotten used to with the three flawed humans she knew. Walking in a straight line every single intoxicated person was atop someone else or inside one another in a disgustingly literal sense. "Erm", a voice from nearby called,"There's still one out here." Out of one of the nearby rooms, a tall man came shifting forward with a confident stride until he stood before the small android. "Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to forget you", he said towering above,"Go ahead in and make yourself comfortable with everyone else."  
  
Cyborg Noodle lifted her head straight-faced and bland, she'd never been addressed by a stranger aside from the one called "Sam". For a moment she pondered the familiarity in his tone, confirming right after that she'd never encountered this person before. So then why was he acting like he'd been looking for her? The cyborg didn't know but decisively played along by sheer curiosity. The only one who ever included her was Meryn, but since she was...busy, this peculiar man would suffice in satisfying the curiosity dwelling in her circuits. Combat boots stomped into the room the man referenced; several female humans sat at the edge of the bed with glazed over half conscious expressions. Barely noticing the presence of someone new, they definitely out of sorts. "Mmkay", the low tone came from behind followed by the closing of the door,"Who's first?"  
  
As if they were working on low batteries, two of the six women rose to their feet bumping into each other as they obediently made their way for the tan-skinned man barking orders. Cyborg Noodle stepped aside as the two females went to work undoing his belt. Out of the corner of his eye, he smirked at her,"Just going to stand there?" He leaned forward scanning the petite immobile body of the curious teen,"H-How old are you by the way?" Stuttering over his words, he sighed at the entry of his member into one of their mouths,"K-Know what? Never mind, don't tell me." Without asking, his drunken hand darted at her pushing the choppy fringe away from her face. "Oh, you're Asian! ", he exclaimed casually stroking the heads of the women knelt in front of him. She tilted her head not understanding how the ethnicity she'd been designed to be was a compliment or an achievement. The only two men she knew of never indicated ethnicity as a factor when being intimate. After all, Murdoc had sex with any fit female who was willing and 2D? She didn't know what ethnicity for sure Meryn was, but examining her skull and bone structure while she slept resulted in an estimate for overall Afro-Latina traits with about 25% belonging to a Scandinavian origin. The perks of having cycling vision. Mono-lidded eyes squinted, adjusting focus for an analysis of the male watching her subtle movements with a questioning glare.  
  
"Uh...", he started halfway distracted by the two currently servicing him. Pupils narrowed to the size of a pen, whirring started up with the gears of her head turning for the X-ray slide. It clicked in place, getting the complete attention of the man. "The hell?", he asked halting one of the girl's movements,"Am I high or did you just...?" Cyborg Noodle blinked with the analysis complete. The 6ft Caucasian male of Anglo origin placed an unwelcome hand on her shoulder. "You look sober, did no one give you a drink on the way in?", he inquired,"I swear to Christ these fuckin' freshmen--"  
  
Cyborg Noodle moved backward easily thwarting the coaxing hand, getting a reaction from the male giving her his full attention."Yeah", he shook his head leaning backward to peer out the door. Immediately someone was at attendance,"Hey Leo, what do you need?" The short back and forth went on, all the while, Cyborg Noodle stood there trying to figure out why this man was given the name of an Astrological sign. "Thanks", Leo said closing the door again,"Alright sweetie, I've got you covered, go on and have a seat with the other girls since you're a little nervous." The android opened her mouth, only instinctively reaching for the notebook in 2D's borrowed jacket a second later. With a heavy sigh, Leo grasped her small shoulders guiding her for the bed. Unamused with this Horoscope guy, the clone yanked away. Stumbling forward and taken by surprise at the strength of the tiny being, he grumbled almost falling to the floor. "Really?", his face turned cold,"You're gonna be a bitch about it?"  
  
He'd lost his patience, but so had she. Defensive setting powered on and activating for immediate use, this man, Leo had no idea who or what he was dealing with. A devious smirk stretched across the androids face and the girls awaiting their orders looked on confused if what they were seeing was real or a product of all the alcohol they'd consumed. Firearms online, Cyborg Noodle opened her mouth anticipating the fire of bullets--  
  
"&$&^%($#@#!"  
  
Everything went black.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also here's a picture I drew of Meryn and 2D back in Phase 2. This chapter had nothing to do with them, but here it is anyway. I'll draw them in the current Phase next, also Murdoc.


	56. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy subject incoming, consider before reading.

Nothingness.  
  
As if someone had turned off the lights and shut down the world itself, Cyborg Noodle fell silent. The firearms stalled and locked in place at the halt of turning gears, and then receded back to the confines of her bizarre form. "What the hell?", the voice of her attacker said. She couldn't see, but she knew well who it was. The adult caucasian male the android badly wanted to cut down, write in her notebook the fact that he and his gathering were as boring as they were disgusting. But now, she was even more incapable of communication. Sight was the only sense that failed in the most recent unexpected shutdown. The third time in just two days, she'd malfunctioned and hadn't a clue of what was wrong. Even more disturbing, she'd been doing things while she was in this sleep-like state and had no recall of what the activities were. From Plastic Beach to this sunny beach in Chile, she blacked out. In the middle of a crowd on the boardwalk, she blacked out and woke a day later on the boat plugged up. The boat was in a different spot than before, tied to a dock much closer to the hotel Meryn managed to get for herself and 2D. When Cyborg Noodle finally came to, she became human in the way terror burst from her mechanical lungs in a panic. No clue how she'd got there, or where she was. It was as if the green orbs closed in one place and in the next moment saw an entirely different setting.  
  
'What is happening to me?'  
  
The petite body couldn't so much as flinch or shirk away any of the foreign senses. High tech sensors detected the scent of alcohol and bodies nearby as her own false human form was dragged off. 2D's jacket slid off her limbs and Meryn's hand-me-down dress was snatched from her. Bare synthetic skin came in contact with cool sheets and the moans of females breathed heavily into her sensitive ears. "She's good now", the man Leo said,"Guess it just took awhile for it to kick in." Another male voice entered her consciousness,"I've never seen it do THAT to a girl though..." The conversation about the little robot in question went on and on amidst the alarming random touch of strangers grazing over olive skin. "Dude...how old is she?", the new voice asked with a wavering pitch. "Really?", Leo complained settling next to her immobile form,"Old enough."   
  
"I don't know about this man...", the voice continued with his own inner conflict," She looks 14, and she just passed out...Didn't you hear that weird noise she made before she fell over?"  
  
"Look", Leo said firmly," SHE walked in here on her own, she knew what she was getting into."  
  
"I-I know....but..."  
  
"I swear to Christ, for fuck's sake what is WITH you recruits?! You and Sam are the only ones not getting it."  
  
Her only defender went silent. There was nothing else he could say unless he wanted to face the consequences.   
  
Foreign. Everything was going on without her, leaving her to feel like an alien, new to Earth, humans, and all their dark tendencies. A being that had taken several lives had gone further than most, but it was to be expected being a sentient weapon. This. This was something else. Never knowing the trials and tribulations of womanhood or that there was any danger at all, she found herself helpless for the first time in her short life. Hell, she'd been living longer as a weapon, than she had as a false human, and this was the event that would break her in. Lying there, she pondered what the feeling in her lower half was. It was an invasion of sorts to every synthetic fiber that made her skin. The sensors placed underneath continuously went off in alarm until they too dulled into nothingness. In the darkness, demons roamed. And not a damn thing could be done to protect herself. Ridden of her otherwise game-ending defenses and the arsenal of firearms she had at her ready, just lying there was as humiliating as it was distressing. Hands pushed at the fringe and bangs covering wide open pupiless emerald eyes, in an apparent examination of her mirrored features. "Shit", Leo said under his breath shamelessly helping himself to scoping her form,"She looks sort of familiar for some reason."  
  
"She looks like that girl...that...that died", a nearby unnamed female mumbled regaining consciousness,"From that one band."  
  
"Yeah?",he said condescendingly to the fightless female addressing him while turning Cyborg Noodle on her side,"Which one?"  
  
"Something with a 'G'...", she murmured drifting out of consciousness yet again. "...Gorillaz?", the man who earlier tried to defend her asked. For a moment, Cyborg Noodle had the inward thoughts of a true human. Now knowing what being helpless was like, she mentally reached out hoping he'd somehow receive her wordless and motionless message.   
  
'Help.'  
  
'Help me.'  
  
These words repeated over and over in her hard drive.  
  
'What's wrong with me?'  
  
'Why won't my body work?'  
  
'Why is my brain the only function online?'  
  
'Why won't someone help me?'  
  
'Murdoc?'  
  
'2D?'  
  
'Meryn?'  
  
"She's crying...", a new voice said in a somber tone. Weight shifted around her form, and hands lifted from her body. "Tch", Leo sucked his teeth in annoyance,"I didn't even fuck her yet." Everything went silent for a moment, and then all hell broke loose. Grunting, the sound of sprinting, a struggle and numerous new voices resonated with the walls of the suite. "The fuck are you doing Sam?!", Leo barked, no longer atop her vulnerable form. "YOU'RE A FUCKIN' RAPIST--ALL OF YOU!", the man yelled in a fury throughout the scuffle. "CHILL OUT DUDE", the voices of the two men earlier who took him away from her sounded in distress. The sounds of a fists flying, feet kicking, and groans of pain perfectly emulated the chaos.   
  
'Sam? It's him. It's HIM!', a true emotion sparked within her circuits.   
  
Her body was firmly grasped and lifted from the bed where she lay. Pushing and shoving all around and her body lifeless but aware in the arms of her savior. Shuffling and panting echoed and bouncing off the walls of narrow area she presumed to be a hallway and the shouting voices became a distant nag. Swallowing hard, the man who held her cradled her body in his shaking arms,"Can you hear me?" He sniffled, and a single wet touch plopped onto the bridge of her nose,"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." He was apologizing, but she had no clue why. Was what happened commonly frowned upon? And if so, why did the man called Leo do it? The little android didn't understand people, why they did the things they did, nor what act had been forced upon her. What made it wrong, and what made made Sam wept were vaguely fathomable, but alas, she was still a falsehood. "I'm gonna take you back to your room", he said once he collected himself,"Who'd you come here with?"  
  
Cyborg Noodle wanted to protest to being under tight watch, but at the moment, Meryn's guardian like restraint was welcomed. This, was not what was supposed to happen. Going off on her own adventure had ended poorly, and now she understood the reason her chaperon was constantly checking in on her. Inwardly, Cyborg Noodle groaned, surmising that once Murdoc's favorite pet found out, she too would be angry. Fidgeting hands fixed the hand-me-down dress and draped the denim jacket over her chest. "Hey you can hear me right? O-Oh-Right-Even if you could, you can't speak...", Sam suddenly remembered after an extensive silence.   
  
'Yes.'  
  
She wanted to smile, to thank him, and grace him with the reward of her first kiss. But as he marched along, eager to put the lost girl back where he found her, the gears turning in her head came to a gradual stop and her consciousness faded at the loss of power.

* * *

 knock knock knock  
  
As best as he could, Sam balanced the body in his arms, whilst knocking at the door he'd found the odd young adult. Swallowing his nerves, he hadn't a clue who she was staying with. Moreover, he didn't even know the name of the one asleep in his arms. Her age, the strength she displayed earlier when she pinned him to the wall, her reason for being here were all unknown and currently clouding his mind. When the door suddenly jutted forward after a brief period of time, it stunned him almost making him lose his balance. "E-Excuse me!", he shouted in alarm coming face to face with a woman perhaps a tad bit older and nearing his height. She blinked half awake with a tinge of alarm on her own features. Arms folded and shifting from one leg to the next, she blinked into focus through the crack of the door. Eyes the color of earth glared in annoyance, no doubt being awoken with his disruption. "Sorry-Uh-I have-Your...sister?", Sam awkwardly shrugged scrunching his face in uncertainty. "Huh?", she inquired leaning forward with her head peering from inside. The millisecond the brown eyes landed on the unconscious form, she fully awoke. "Shit!", she swore slamming the door to remove the chain lock making all kinds of exclamations in the short time it took to reopen the door.  
  
"Noodle!", she yipped in concern, springing forth in a panic. Her brows furrowed and her bottom lip bitten in fear, she stuttered shakily holding out her arms to retrieve the lost one,"W-Where'd you find her?" Sam struggled to answer, not wanting to inform this woman of what happened to the curious little thing being taken from his arms. "I-She was standing here about 2 hours ago when I passed-Uh-I think she followed me-To--Um-", he jumbled up the explanation shoving his nervous hands into his pockets. "Sorry", he restarted, suddenly darting the hand just put away forward to start over,"I'm Sam!"  
  
"Meryn", she answered quickly, not particularly interested in exchanging names at the moment. "Come in", she insisted not even a moment later, looking over her shoulder at a man sitting up right at attention in the background. Sam gulped and obeyed taking a jittery step inside. The moment he did, she shut the door behind him and scuttled over to the queen size bed, placing the unconscious mysterious girl onto the surface. "Wot happened?!", the man called from the other side of the bed stepping into a pair of lounging pants. Quickly tightening the drawstring, the tall lanky blue haired man too joined Meryn in alarm. "Oh!", Sam said averting his gaze,"Sorry for interrupting--"  
  
"Just say it!", Meryn barked clenching her fist, having spent her patience. Sam jumped in surprise, noticing that the dark eyed blue haired man did also at the sudden tone. "I found your sister at the Marriot at this entry party for recruits!", he exclaimed,"She was in trouble, so I brought her back!" Arms folded at her chest, she wrenched her mouth about in unease,"What kind of trouble."   
  
"Well...", he started. "I think she was slipped something and well..."  
  
By the flash of horror in her eyes, she seemed to understand what he was getting at. What came next was unexpected.  
  
"She didn't kill anyone?"  
  
"W-What do you mean?", Sam asked blinking in confusion. Meryn sighed deeply furrowing her brow with the tips of her fingers, shaking her head in disbelief,"So what're you saying? Someone tried to rape her?" She said it as if it weren't physically possible. The pair exchanged looks of bewilderment back and forth, until she went onto the next matter. "And who did this?", she asked,"Some guy at the Marriott? What's his name?" Sam winced uneasily under the stare of the silent twink-bodied man, and glanced to his partner who appeared to be plotting something, "It's Leo-But I took care of it and brought her here--"  
  
"Oh", she interrupted becoming increasingly animated,"Is he already dead?"  
  
"N-No, I mean't I got her outta there--"  
  
"Then you didn't **take care of it** ", Meryn had a crooked look about her, with the corner of her mouth twitching. Saying nothing more, she turned on her heel, starting off for her shoes. "What're you gonna do?", Sam asked rather nervous,"It's a bunch of frat boys--They'll probably just try and do the same to you!" At that she chuckled,"Not if I take care of it!"  
  
"Kat!" the blue-haired man said blocking her way,"Wha' bout lyin' low? We dun' even kno if she HAS those parts! Plus, it doesn't make no sense! How come she din't jus pull tha' triggah on em? Can she even drink?" Tons of questions Sam didn't understand the relevance of came shouted out in plea. "She probably stopped working again", Meryn grumbled sidestepping past him. "What about jail?!", he yelled louder, stopping her in her tracks. It definitely worked. By the way her expression became so dour, it was apparent she'd perhaps has experience in the system. Sam wasn't sure what to make of these two, or what it was he was doing in their room. He hadn't a clue on what to do regarding his own well being. After being openly insubordinate and throwing a wedge in the fraternity's date rape operation, what was he supposed to do? Somber and distraught his head fell, all of sudden he felt nauseous and clasped his open hand over his mouth. Try as he may, it did little to stop the involuntary heave of stomach contents from trying to escape. Hunching forward he quickly searched for a receptical with his head darting in every direction. The blue haired one simply pointed for the bathroom with a wimpy finger and Sam welcomed himself to it.  
  
Meryn peered past the towering string bean bodied man, watching the acquaintance pour his insides into their toilet. She huffed and puffed for a moment, going silent and accepting the concern of her supposed boyfriend. Kicking the shoes off her feet and into the corner of the room she sighed meandering to the bathroom. Unsure of whether she should approach or let the copper haired man recover on his own, she decided to march on placing a hand on his shivering shoulder. "Are you O.K?", she asked bending a knee. "Kgnh", Sam spat the rising bile at the toilet water soiled with his dinner. "Sorry", he said trying to laugh off the embarrassment,"I have a weak stomach..."  
  
"Need sum meds?", the man with aqua colored hair called shaking all kinds of bottles in his large hands,"Meryn bought sum Pepto too if ya need iht!" Sam tried to smile, but barreled back into the bowl holding on for dear life. "2D", Meryn said motioning for him to come near,"Pass me that bottle of Ginger Ale I bought earlier? It's supposed to soothe the stomach, that's why my dad swore at least." The one called 2D nodded rapidly staggering over with elongated legs. "You know what?", she said with 2D looming above and the 2 Liter bottle in hand,"Why don't you stay until you feel better? We've got somethings to talk about."


	57. Sinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tag I haven't used in awhile comes into play here. Warnings apply. Meryn is in a lot of ways me, but stronger. When I started this fic, I said I would put some of my troubles into it and I've been wanting to do that seriously, since my last similar chapter. I've been nervous that I'll put people off or come off too strong but I feel really deeply about this subject. It just keeps popping back up or I keep coming across it, or like earlier this week, someone will walk in my job and unload all of their grief. This subject is a recurring one that eats away at me every other day. I feel like the "crazy" one, and I know I sort of am, but I need to get it out, or I'll snap. I'm just talking to anyone at this point, I don't know how to deal with being angry in regards to two subjects that control the balanced aspect of my life. There were several things to irk me this time around, some my own damn fault and others entirely circumstantial but nonetheless, here's a day in the life. I feel like this every so often, and when I feel it, it's THIS bad.

After several hours had passed she still didn't feel any less raw about it. Intentions were foiled by the dose of reality 2D had given her, but the thoughts remained with no chance of receding. She didn't understand it no matter how she tried to analyze or approach such an ugly subject. Rape and the people who could commit such an act only made Meryn feel rage. Even after learning from this younger stranger sat across from her the extent of the poor Cyborg's assault to be a mere molestation and nothing more, the fact that the goal was more horrendous made her skin crawl. Hands grasped at her bare knees and she sat stiff as if a stray movement would be enough to set her off. Even as she was being talked to right now, and nodded every so often to show she was paying attention.  
  
Inwardly, she was fantasizing about the man she'd never seen before, begging her for mercy. It mindset she found herself gambling with still had trouble fathoming which part upset her more. The fact that someone tried to hurt another or the fact that the cyborg resembled her dearly missed Gorillaz guitarist. The second she saw the limp form in the arms of the one called Sam, she saw Noodle being helpless. Despite the nagging clarification in her mind telling her it wasn't the same, Meryn couldn't push off the sadistic aura that vibrated with restlessness. A nudge came at her side and jabbed into the cage of ribs heaving with less than sane ideas. "Hey", 2D mumbled jabbing at her side a second time,"Are yew gunna be awright?"  
  
"Mmhm!", she squeaked answering quickly without a glance in his direction.  
  
2D's mouth wrenched in puzzlement and he sighed momentarily giving up on getting an actual word out of her. "Sowwy", he apologized to the awkward copper-haired young man with his knees to his chest, "Meryn's a little distracted right nao." Sam shook his head,"Oh! It's O.K., I mean who wouldn't be mad hearing their sister was almost...you know..." Trailing off, he didn't want to say the word, afraid of just making the woman angrier than she already was. "Sista'?", 2D asked raising a brow. "Oh-Um-I didn't know their relationship so I just sort of guessed", Sam rambled a bit fidgeting in place where he sat in the cheap uncomfortable chair,"The way she was standing in front of the door earlier, it seemed more familial I guess." The eyes of their acquaintance were staring dead ahead at the odd lanky dark-eyed, blue haired man. The eyes twitched and narrowed as if a question was eating away at him. Sam was sitting across from the peculiar lead singer of an internationally known band but hadn't stated the obvious. 2D was thankful his identity hadn't yet been brought up, but in the exchanged glances with his lover earlier, they knew it was inevitable.  
  
"So um...", Sam began looking around unsure of how to ask.  
  
2D sighed with a small smile accepting the blown cover.  
  
"Where are you guys from?"  
  
Bewildered a bit, Stu Pot blinked taken aback,"Whaddya mean? Yew don' know?"  
  
"I mean...", Sam started looking confused himself,"I can tell you're British but...your girlfriend isn't and you're other erm friend is mute...so...um." He paused, going blank on furthering his attempt at conversation. "Yew-Yew don' kno who I am?", 2D asked leaning forward in amazement and disregarding any stealthy ideal he'd had moments ago.  
  
"N-No?", came answered in sheer confusion,"Should I?"  
  
"NOPE!", 2D blurted out suddenly standing to his feet. Sauntering off for the room phone, he had quite the pep in his step and couldn't have been more obvious. "I'll go 'head and get tha' cot request in t'tha folks downstairs!", 2D announced smiling easy.  
  
  
Meryn sat there in this midst of a panic, her inner conflict telling her to hurt herself or hurt someone else. It was the same as always, something she lacked control on. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet after fidgeting for some time and bolted for the bathroom as inconspicuously as possible. She held her breath, not wanting to be in an obviously distressed state looking over her shoulder to her lover who turned her his head in curiosity. 2D's mouth became small, and he looked at her in an inquiry of her state of mind. But it was nothing to be concerned about, Meryn inwardly knew the extent of how deplorable she could be. And that level of psychosis was far beyond the comprehension of a beautiful person like 2D. She smiled the best she could nodding her head shooing his worries away with the wave of the hand displaying the false gentleness she had perfected and closed the door behind her. For a moment she waited for the shuffling of his legs to continue, hoping he wouldn't hear her fingers twist the lock on the door and arouse suspicion.  
  
_The world is disgusting. What's the point of living alongside worthless people?_  
  
She chuckled to herself, shaking her head in disbelief of her own instability at the mere mention of rape or molestation. Two words had power of her, and turned her into some monstrous version of herself. Before she was aware, she was pacing the small space back and forth, keeping her eyes away from the mirror at all costs, knowing well who'd be looking back at her. After what felt like several minutes she plopped to the sit atop the toilet, immediately standing right after for reasons unknown to herself. The more she moved, the more she wanted to make quicker those movements. Possibly break out of their home away from "home" and disregard 2D's pleas. Heart beating a mile a minute, she sat herself down at the edge of the tub and tried to breathe without the hitch of her voice trying to burst into a scream. The feeling was both invigorating, and scary to herself.  
  
As she sat there in silence, she was shaking. A consistent vibration and tapping of her foot was trying to ward off the out of control urges to do something drastic. Hand flinching and the corner of her mouth twitching she grinned wide and allowed her able-minded facade to melt clean off her face. Teeth barred and her eyes wide with the fire of her rage, she snickered and sniveled like a crazy person. Nails tapped harshly at the edge of the caulked surface and dragged along with a hellish screech. She instantly lifted her hand and instead placed it along her wide hipped skin. Unpainted nails dug into her skin past the top thin layer and entered the second. She couldn't feel it, or rather, she didn't care. A lump grew in her throat that couldn't be swallowed and out of nowhere, she brought the hand from her side slamming it down against her opposite arm. A loud thwack sounded and resonated from wall to wall, but it wasn't enough. Shakily the hand lifted to clench at her own jaw to try and forbid the unholy clenching of her mandible. It creaked and popped at how harshly she bite down and gritted her teeth. All the while, she couldn't stop her unstable cackles from humming through the barrier of her closed lips.  
  
_'Pst! Hey?'_  
  
  
The hushed laughter came to a halt and Meryn dragged her gaze to the mirror. The self that looked back had become clammy, the warmth in her tone seemed to have been drained, and the crooked smile beckoned her to indulge in her ideas best left forgotten.  
  
_'Yo~ How long are you going to keep me waiting?'_  
  
Meryn shook her head, refusing to respond to someone who wasn't there. **That** much, she could control.  
  
'Hellooooo?'  
  
Sighing she glared at her reflection.  
  
_'Why take it out on us, when we could be taking it out on those rapists that deserve it?'_  
  
"......"  
  
'I mean, we'd be doing the world a favor getting rid of them.'  
  
"I can't", she mumbled in a shriek,"Shut up."  
  
_'So its O.K. if they just kept hurting women? Girls like us? Girls like Noodle?'_  
  
"Noodle--Noodle isn't here."  
  
_'If she were, wouldn't she get even?'_  
  
Brown eyes full of sudden fatigue and labored breathing controlling her physical form, Meryn bit her bottom lip and grasped harshly at her own wrist. She didn't know the answer for sure. The memory of Noodle was consequently skewed by the false android meant to replace her. She knew them to be separate, but still...If it had happened to the Noodle she knew and cherished as a sort of sister figure would deserve to get even. The last she'd seen the Japanese teen, she was 15 with her smile wide and her eyes shrouded in mystery beyond her choppy fringe. Just a kid. A kid.  
  
"A kid...", Meryn mumbled to herself,"Just a kid."  
  
There were people who wanted them. People that wanted children like Noodle, like herself at a point and time. Her sister's boyfriend and her cousins back when Meryn lived in the United States were people like that. Pedophiles. The corner of her lips twitched at the word and curved downward into a painful grimace. Fist clenched and nails digging into her wrist, Meryn tried to breathe but failed to calm herself in time. She blinked slowly, momentarily forgetting the image of herself staring from the reflection. When she reopened them, there was someone else. Someone behind her. She blinked again and managed to swallow the painful lump lodged in her throat.  
  
_'They humiliated us. Used us. They were the adults supposed to protect us.'_  
_'They wormed themselves inside us before we had a clue what our girlhoods were supposed to.'_  
_'Remember the smell of Gin on his breath when he made you bleed? Or how he told you it was a secret between us?'_  
_'He didn't care. They don't care about anyone but themselves.'_  
_'They smile at your weakness and pry apart the legs of little girls.'_  
  
The image of herself in the mirror morphed in form. A dark cloud taking over the mirror, and reforming as her childhood self. A young Meryn about 9 looked away in disarray covering her eyes with her small hands,"It hurts." The small hands traveled down to her young anatomy poking and prodding at the parts made foreign by the touch of a pedophile. The young immature sex was irritated and off colored. An odd bruised red color at the entry point the man had made. A flower not ready, and forced to bloom was destined to never grow correctly. The adult hands that pulled at her petals and tore past the lining released unripened nectar that left her childhood self confused and disturbed. Deeply disturbed. The stem became bent and the petals meant to be a certain color never got the chance. Young Meryn's lips mirrored her own adult ones in anguish. Remembering well how she tried to make her body her own again and how it was taken away time and time again.  
  
The child looked up from her prodding, sporting a sort of devious smirk before smiling brightly at her adult self a gap-toothed grin. The little girl began to laugh, leaning forward to clench at her stomach it was so funny. Meryn smirked back recalling what was so hilarious. The small hands came forth at the glass with a shove and cackled throwing her head back. "Remember!?!", the small one shouted," He fell down the stairs and chipped his tooth!"

"It never looked right again", the adult snickered,"...Good job."

The child posed an animated victory of sorts, flashing a cheesy grin and a thumbs up.

The adult returned the gesture, giving a thumbs up back,"You stood up for yourself."

Young Meryn frowned slightly,"Yeah but...he still won. And now Terra hates me even more."

"Fuck Terra...", she murmured letting go of her wrist. "She wouldn't listen, so we pushed him down the stairs. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Yeah...fuck her." The child smirked saying a bad word, puckering her lips like a self-proclaimed junior maverick,"Oops."

Meryn winked bringing a finger to her lips,"No worries."

"W-What about the others?", the young one asked for guidance. She recalled time spent at her uncle's home and her older cousins that took turns experimenting on her. "It felt good before", the child mumbled now averting her gaze," It hurts ever since he put it in."

She swallowed the disgust and shame of the incestuous games she played back then. The boys were older teens, but they knew better. Her cousins were just as disgusting as the rapist fucker that forced himself on her. But at least they had the decency to pin her down and make her endure. It was confusing, it was clear on the young one's face.

"Well--", Meryn started gently after mustering the courage.

" You kill them", came answered reluctantly by some unknown force that possessed her. The small child blinked in amazement as if she'd found the answer to all her problems. "Okay", the small one said stepping closer to the mirror. The small hand extended reached out through the glass, and soon the rest of the child came with. Cinnamony eyes became wide with surprise and as an adult, she found herself truly cowering at the supernatural happening unfolding before her eyes. The child stood in front of her adult self with her head angling to the side," Come on, Meryn."

The form shifted and changed. Morphing in size and shape until an entirely different being stood behind the little girl Meryn once was. Shrouded in darkness a gas mask peeked out peering around the small space. A leather glove came down on the child's shoulder. It leaned in, the entity kneeling in consideration of the child cocked its unknown head to the side, motioning for her to follow. "Wa-Wait...", Meryn found herself mumbling in protest. The masked figure turned its head and placed both gloved hands at her cheeks tugging from side to side as if to be playful. She hadn't a clue what was happening and shook in terror. The glint in her brown eyes were glossy with fear of the unknown. It must've resonated with the entity because instantly drew away releasing her face. In a rather jaunty manner, it motioned for her to follow as well. 

She shook her head fearing the uncertainty trying to blink herself awake from the fever dream this had to be, "What are you?"

The child smiled exchanging a glance to the dark figure,"He's the Boogeyman! Duh!"

The black glove lowered to her adult shoulder, as if she were so weak it aroused pity from a dark fairytale creature. The child held out her hand and Meryn couldn't deny it. With little hesitation, she held her own hand. It was small and warm in her older experienced one. "Let's go for a walk", the little girl said smiling as her adult self rose to her naturally tall height. The child led, and she followed. The two of them hand and hand stepping into the mirror being trailed by the entity.

 

* * *

 

Gray. Everything as far as the eye could see was this color. As they walked endlessly through the silent infinite space, she felt the presence of the Boogeyman lurking from behind. In curiosity, Meryn peered over her shoulder and saw him there in plain sight staring back from behind the sunset colored lenses of the goggles. She swallowed the fear within and mustered up the question she should've asked beforehand"Where are we going?"

"Huhhh?", the child asked in disbelief, "You don't see it?" 

The Boogeyman pointed a finger just past her head remaining silent. Everything was answered with the turn of her head.

Bodies. So many bodies. 

All tied down or restrained in some manner, never to be free again. Men and few women wailed and grunted the moment they made eye contact with her. They jerked about in different directions, some pleading while others hurled insults. The aura, the atmosphere, everything suddenly became a tarnished color. From behind the tortured souls, children came giggling and prancing about. The child Meryn suddenly let go of her adult and joined them all is if she belonged here among them all. Together, they all looked to Meryn herself as if she too belonged. "Come on!", a young boy said. "We can tell you're not like the other adults!", another chimed in.

" What's... Going on...", she hesitantly asked, nervous they might turn on her. 

"Momma?", a little girl said about the age of 4. She left the group and nudged at Meryn's frozen form. 

Immediately, a woman's body from afar began screaming. Her nude form shook and writhed in horror as if someone had suddenly burned her skin. "Not you!", the four-year-old barked at an alarming tone with a glare that could break glass. The woman flinched at the words of her child, and the little one turned back to face the new mother she dubbed," You're one of the good ones!" The rest of the kids seemed to agree amongst themselves and nudged at the younger Meryn in encouragement. "That's right!", a taller child with dirty blond pigtails chirped.

The preteen waltzed over sizing up the fully formed woman," I never thought I'd see someone as old as you here! But, it looks like adults are mean even too each other!" Her voice was high and sing-song as she rounded Meryn's form. She was falling short of sanity in the midst of the bizarre world she followed herself in. Words were failing her and concrete thoughts were impossible. "You're an inspiration!", the preteen continued with hearts in her eyes," I've seen your work, and noooot bad. You paced it out. Took days to have your fun! I wish I wasn't so all over the place or I would've enjoyed myself more!"

Meryn couldn't take not understanding any longer,"What're you talking about?"

The dirty blond hair hanging from shoulder to shoulder swished at the turn of her head and everyone ran off at full speed. The children took on the tasks much too old for them with various tools or their small angry fists. In packs, they worked from person to person leaving no adult alone. 

"Kgh-", an adult male tied to a post spit up bile and bizarre stomach contents. Some blood, spittle, snot, and tears dropped from their wincing faces in agony. " Please!", a voice called reaching out in desperation, but the children had a solution for that. Soiled underwear was shoved into the mouth of the adult from the little outspoken boy earlier. "Be quiet!", he cried flashing a distressed glance to the Boogeyman. The masked figure bowed its head and the cloak stretched out in the direction of the man.

"No! NO!", the man sobbed," Please don-"

It was too late, in an instant, his outstretched limb was torn from its socket. In the most hearty screech, he wailed and sobbed heavily bleeding out from the loss of an appendage. The limp arm fell to the ground and the children rejoiced with mocking laughter. Meryn stood stricken at the sight, more over at the power the entity held in its flimsy form. From behind, the tendrils of darkness and smog tended to dismember the rest of the adults. They extended just past her and smelled of tar. Smoke engulfed her and whilst the killing went on, lives cut down like trees with zero disregards. Shivering in disgust, panic, and with the urge to preserve her life she began to tear up as the darkness of the smoke gradually blocked her view entirely.

The lives of them all were shown to her. Over her shoulder, the Boogeyman pointed from tragedy to tragedy. The very talkative dirty blond girl made an object by her mother to be sold as a mother/daughter set. The little boy from earlier being beaten by his drunken father, day after day, after day. Forced to starve or forced to live on the streets, they'd all been shown the worst of humanity at alarmingly young ages. Meryn watched in horror the play by play of their young promising lives snatched away by selfish hands. All of their tears and anguish being expressed here and now for eternity. Sobs, sniffles, and cries for help called out to her from the children in their previous lives. 

"Please!!"

"Make him stop!", wailed another in a ball on the floor beaten black and blue. " You're so so cute!", said a man hovering over the blond girl,"Don't worry, it'll be gentle. Very, very, gentle. " Immediately the girl fell into a pit of despair, with her eyes appearing to be hollow. "G-Gentle?", she whispered repeating the man's words," Anything but gentle."

Tears fell from Meryn's eyes, and her mouth wrenched in mental pain. No matter where she looked there were countless innocents being damaged. The only child that stayed immobile was herself. Standing alone, surveying the massacre and slews of mutilated sex organs, her child self, was numb. But numb became invigorated and soon she was panting deliriously with a passion to cause pain. 

A sight came before the rape, pain, and fear of the countless children. Her very own trauma put back in front of her. Meryn saw it all and felt the touch of her sister's boyfriend roaming in areas he had no business toying with. Her adult body cringed and writhed at the ghosting touch. Her own young body defiled and used up for his own selfish desires. It was all so familiar. Too familiar.

"Ah", he moaned pushing inside her yielding form.

"OW-OwH-", she cried out at nine years old with pain shooting through her entire body.

" It'll start to feel good soon", he insisted continuing on regardless of how much she squirmed. 

It did, to her horror and disgust. The most confusing and distressing feeling took place in the wake of a grown man forcing himself on a grade schooler who hadn't even truly begun puberty or her young body's changes. As an adult, her body resisted the feeling, squirming about with her legs held together tight. 

When be finally finished, and lifted himself off the child she used to be, she saw red.

Blood red. 

"Kill em", she uttered in spite wrenching her eyes away from her child self. Staggering through the smoke and smog, she trembled to see the very same man tied up for her convenience. Without any words exchanged her hand darted out and pierced the man's flesh. Her appendage was now an extension of the Boogeyman, she no longer recognized it covered in darkness. 

"Rgh", the man sputtered weakly spitting up on himself a mixture of blood and vomit. She drew away feeling a satisfying rush course through her veins. With a snicker, she slowly began to smile in satisfaction. "Heh", she chuckled," Hehe!" Like a child herself, she was patted on the head by the other gloved hand, before it too plunged into the man. Jutting from his sternum her arm dug deep like a knife with the assistance of the dark entity. The presence and encouragement of others came hurrying to her side. Each of them covered in blood or splattered by the creaking and popping nerves that severed at the cuts of all his children. The Boogeyman's children. With smiles on their faces, they tugged at her rapists' arms kicking and punching sore red flesh. Some biting others spitting at him or stabbing him in the caps of his knees.

"I'm--Shurry", the man spoke.

" I'm... So...so sorry", he spoke again clenching his teeth together at his gums bled from the pressure. 

Her interest was piqued. "Why?", Meryn asked, blank in her expression, " I was at the hearing...why did you prey on us? We were just kids..."

His swollen tearing eyes couldn't focus on her face," I did a bad thing...Something I know I can't take back...but please..." He looked at her for sympathy, his lower lip quivering and blubbering on his apology. "Meryn...", he choked saying her name," As long as I've been a man, I've always had this...urge. It isn't something I asked for--Or chose!"

She almost laughed,"Choice? Something you didn't ask for?" The young boy abused by his father pulled at her clothes offering up his prized tool. "Wanna play baseball?", he asked handing her the aluminum bat his father used to bash his knees with. It was evident in the stained blood that seemed to now be a part of the interior at the final moments of his home-life.

"...Never played", she murmured just above a whisper with the bat in hand. " It's easy!", he said rearing back in an all-star pose," Before I came here, I loved to play after school." She wondered what he meant by that, and he tugged again at her clothing,"Momma? I could teach you."   
  
_Why? Why are they calling_ _me mother_? She looked around at them all; different races, varying from size to size in height or weight. Some in tattered clothing, while others like the mother/daughter escort service girl looked to be dressed with expensive taste. All of them, with an expecting glimmer in their eyes darkened by hopelessness and despair from long ago. "H-Hey!", the man yelped gaining her attention with the flailing of his body,"I'm in jail now! You never have to see me again! Alright? Please?"

"Okay then", Meryn half smiled looking down to the boy by her side," Show me how."   
  
"Kay", the boy chirped jumped backward with a hop. With the pretend bat in hand, he pointed for the head of the begging nude man. Pointing well past himself, Meryn and the other children, he boasted predicting where the ball would go. One foot forward, he swung, "Just like that!"  The bat held tightly between her fingers, with her palms gripping the warm metal, Meryn geared back with it hung over her shoulder. She batted up swirling the bat in little circles. A coy grin pulled at her lips as she held the rod for a strike. With one foot stepping forward, Meryn swung with everything she had  
  
**crack**  
  
His head turned to the side at impact knocking a few teeth from view. Whining he sobbed with a painful mouth full of blood and the loss of several teeth pitter-pattering at her feet. The air became electrified with one single mediocre swing and they dove to the ground for the keepsakes that were the useless man's dental work. It was beyond anything she'd ever fathomed. They were like little psychopaths, free to do as they pleased without the threat of their abusers or sad excuse of any other adult who did them wrong. It was madness. There he was, shivering before her with searing pain in his nerves. Should she be the voice of reason? It pained her to see so many examples of a childhood ripped to shreds. No, these people all deserved to die. The world would continue to spin without them and good riddance.

Meryn's hand reached out stroking along the stubble of sloppy maintained sideburns. He gulped no longer anything else to say, he closed his eyes. 

**crack**

He was no more. His head forcibly jerked to the right at he blunt force against his skull and disk dislocated from his spine. The only sound was the sound of dying, and the remainder of Meryn's moral code hanging on the edge of spite. Her shoulders fell on a deep breath and she turned facing the lord of this world. The gas-masked face stared back.

"What is this place?", she started with her voice wavering," Are we all...dead?"

No answer, not with a voice at least, yet somehow, it communicated.

**You are not dead. However...**

Meryn's child self appeared by his side, grasping at his gloved hand with her mouth curved in a perpetual frown.

**I am a demon. I take the souls of the evil and collect the souls of children made aware of the evils in this world.**

It's opposite hand extended out revealing the unfathomable contents of its cloak. Terror flashed on Meryn's features at the countless bodies within the confines of the darkness he wore. The children came hurrying to huddle close at the portal like gaseous aura, all smiling and holding each other for support. Among them all, she saw herself and felt so out of place somehow. 

"You're taking me too?", she whispered out of breath in rising panic. 

**Yes, and no. I'm taking what remains of your child self. She will be here among the others I've collected from the hell of their past lives and be my eternal helper providing punishment to the damned. Its neverending revenge, the desire you've been harboring since she came into existence.**

" S-She?", tears began to fall and her hand shakily rose for her child self.

**This is you. Your tainted innocence personified. You do not know it, but you've been calling me. All children fear the Boogeyman but I am their saving grace. The one that prevents them from being dragged to hell by the devil himself, and the one who offers eternal justice, as long as they stay here. They've sworn their young lives away and I've repaid them for their loyalty by keeping their personal demons here. They die at the hands of my little soldiers and are resurrected for their satisfaction.**

The bodies of the limp abusers and parents came back to life with the flick of the wrist. Gasping for air in their bloodied lungs and brought back in confusion of their whereabouts.

 **The cycle continues. The only difference is you are now among them. I have been watching you for some time, you've always called but never made the agreement.**  

"The agreement?", she sniffled, shaking, and trembling. 

 **I visit after dark to every troubled child. Standing in the far corner of their rooms, I offer myself, my power with open arms. Any child who runs to a demonic entity, instead of calling their mothers, fathers, or for help make a statement from a spiritual aspect. It is the lack of fear, the lack of care for their own wellbeing that seals the deal. You, Meryn Jakes, have repressed the memory of my appearances. We have met before, but you've always turned on the lights or hid under your blankets in denial. You have grown into a perfect candidate, worthy of being the harbinger of death, yet pure enough to spare the weak. But as you are, conflicted, you cannot be of use. My gift, all I can offer you is the justice you craved when you called. The** **payment is this little one. I have given you the satisfaction of murder without any consequence. You may keep your current life, your love, and I will take with me the root of malevolence that has been dwelling within you.**

 "What..what happens to me?", she cried wiping away the welling tears. 

" Momma?", the four-year-old girl whimpered,"Why're you crying?"

**They've known you for some time, watching through my lenses as you grew up without them. Became an adult yourself and continued to endure without my aide, with the life of another in your hands you passed your own judgment knowing the judgment of the courts would pass their own on you. Perhaps they call you "mother" because if they were more like you, they'd still be alive.**

"B-But what'll happen to me?", Meryn held her breath, " You didn't answer."

Her child self left the ranks of children running into her older arms. Meryn knelt down sobbing into her natural brown colored hair. "I'm so sorry...", she whimpered wrapping her small form in a blanket of warmth," I couldn't save us." She shook her head unable to see past the tears,"I should have been stronger--I'm too weak."

"Don't worry", the childish voice came soothing her adult counterpart," I'll save us." The child was joined by her new family, all wrapping themselves around her in an embrace of mutual understanding and support. Small hands and arms held Meryn together before she could fall apart. Fond and delicate, her youth pecked at her tear stained cheek, leaving a goodbye per her upturned lips. "I love you", she smiled gently with inner peace shining through her immature features. Meryn closed her eyes, "I love you too."

**We'll see each other sooner than later. Murdoc Niccals has a price to pay.**

 

She opened her eyes to bright white. The fluorescent lighting burning at her retinas. Staggering to her feet, Meryn looked into the mirror. Just the same old reflection. Her skin flushed red in panic and labored lungs held her breath far too long. She gasped out hacking and coughing trying to catch her breath examining her body for any distinguishable differences. Her question hadn't been answered, and she was missing a piece of who she was. Rid of the out of control anger, she felt nothing. Numb. 

"Kat?", called from beyond the flimsy locked door. Light knocks and scratching came from her concerned other half. They were soon replaced by heavier more desperate knocks, and she thought it best to open the door. The very second she twisted the lock, 2D barraged in. "Wot tha' hell?!", he yelled at an octave she'd never heard from him. The narrowed hollowness of his voids pierced deep into what remained of her soul with the most intimidating glint. "Yew din't answer-I've been callin' yew!", he barked in complaint shaking her with his larger hands grasped at her shoulders. His face softened a bit and he closed the door behind them, "The cot got here bout an hour ago, tha' Sam guy and the Cyborg are easy nao. I was givin' yew space but it's been a full hour tha' yew locked yerself in 'ere!" His eyes fell, and so did his broader shoulders the lower his eyes traveled. "Wha's this...", he asked raising hr limp wrist in his hand. Scratches and splotchy blood lined her arm, it was a shock to her, and it registered on her face as clear as day.  
  
"...Wha'd yew use Meryn?", he asked as calmly as possible with a hoarse grunt in the back of his throat just begging to be expressed. Before she could even fathom answering, having drawn a huge blank on the events in the past hour, 2D lifted her other arm eying the culprit. Under her nails were skin and blood, the pain only set in once she saw the extent of her unconscious rage. "It burns...", she whimpered with her head bumping against his chest. She shook and silently hyperventilated against him,"I didn't mean to." He struggled to understand her on several planes, shaking his head in disappointment,"Jesus Christ Meryn, I din't fink yew'd actually--Yew told me ya hadn't dun tha' in years..." He didn't know if he wanted to shake her, leave her, or hold her, and his fingers flinched on any of the choices he could make right here and now.   
  
"Are you throwing me away?", she asked against his shirt now wet with tears. His hands decided at the last moment wrapping her in an embrace with a much needed deep sigh,"No, Kat." His chest rose and fell letting out the air from his lungs, with her face buried there she felt the warmth of his energy and his heart beating along in a slightly elevated rate. "It's been a long...long day...",2D groaned into her hair,"I hafta cut yer nails nao, ya kno tha' rioght?" Meryn nodded nuzzling close like a child. "Hey", he shrugged her form for attention,"Look a' me."  
  
She obeyed rising from the security of his chest. Her face and expression pitiful and dour.   
  
"Don' do this again.", came in a stern command. Unmovable and unyielding, he stared her down with a serious almost grim expression,"I mean it...or...we'll be through."  
  
Her heart stopped and her expression changed flashing a look of contempt with the prominent snarl of her lip, in the next moment she'd gone submissive reluctant to look him in the eye any longer. "Wha's tha' look for?", his brows rose in astonishment, having actually feared her for the first time while knowing her. Quite a look of disdain quaked through his threat, even if for a moment, it sent vibrations of paranoia echoing through his lanky form. "Yer gunna be mad at me nao?", he asked in a low mumble stuck somewhere between annoyed and petrified. "...Forget it", she said dismissing everything. "Kay...then...", hesitant but bold 2D clenched her jaw, wrenching her attention with a firm tug,"It's late nao. Bout 4 am." Meryn nodded, giving him the full eye contact he was after. "Don' look at me loike tha' bad-guy", he said losing a bit of his edge,"I'm jus lookin' out f'yew."  
  
This Meryn that he held, was sour, jerking away from his sudden self-imposed rule over her. Perturbed he leaned forward pressing his lips to hers stuck in a semi-permanent pout. It took a moment, but she eventually loosened up allowing affection to thoroughly express itself on her lips. Her form succumbed and her back hit the wall with a slight thud. She mumbled something but it was drowned out in the changeable laps of his tongue entering her mouth. His hand angled her head and 2D kissed away any residual bad blood between them. His free arm wrapped around her sliding up her back to bury his left hand in her lush hair. Tightly he held on as if to assert his dominance through their oral connection. 2D breathed in deeply the aura of his girlfriend, taking with him the defiance she harbored at his earlier words and sighed humming against her lips breathing his radiance back into her. He let go taking a bit of her breath away with a light-hearted smirk,"Let's get yew cleaned up, then its off t'bed. No buts."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew inspiration from Oyasumi Punpun whenever he talks to "God", and from Dangan Ranpa: Ultra Despair Girls. A nod to Kotoko Utsugi with her trigger word being "gentle".


	58. Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Body horror and disturbing dream sequence.

Through exhausted eyes, 2D looked down to the woman lying with her head on his lap. Lips parted and breathing steadily, Meryn was serene as she slept. She'd cuddled up next to him hours ago like a cat with her knees as close to him as possible and her arm draped over his groin while the other laid out limp just past him. After cleaning up the mess she made on her arm and convincing her to sleep, for awhile, she did nothing. Staring off at the far wall with her cheek resting against his bony thigh. When she finally fell asleep, he took a much needed deep breath scrunching his brows with the tips of his fingers. Normally, a hand placed over his manhood would arouse perverted ideas but as of now, he was preoccupied. Trying to block the view of her forearm at the tilt of his head he still found himself gawking at the fresh wounds that bloodied her limb. His stomach turned, and 2D swallowed the rising nausea threatening to erupt from his depths. Cutting was something she'd done in the past, and he knew that. She'd slit her own throat with the intent to die and that scar remained evident even after almost a decade had gone by. Every day spent with her he'd seen the remnants of her despair plain on her bronze toned skin. Every time he'd undressed her, every time he fucked her or made tender love to her body, he was reminded that she carried her past on her skin. Every mishap, traumatic incident, and willing to be in control had become apart of her physically and emotionally. 2D wished he could will them away or provide some kind of cure for the ongoing gloom, but much like how Meryn resisted him earlier on, the demons that stunted her were stubborn.  
  
Sat upright with his back against the frame, he tried to ignore the inner monologue of conflicting thoughts on Meryn's sudden behavioral changes. She had been showing him a dangerous side lately and he hadn't the tools or resolve on how to deal with it. While still very much fond of her, he began to wonder if she was perhaps too unstable making their relationship destined to fail. Dark eyes traveled over to the cyborg sat resting against a single chair and at the cot nearby occupied by the newly acquainted Sam. 2D yawned wide, unable to fall asleep for hours now, sneering at the gradually rising sun and the light glaring through the glass. He grumbled reaching for the remote to the television in efforts to at least take his mind off of the drama that seemed to be following them. The screen came to life and he hurried to lower the volume trying to avoid waking anyone.  
  
But...  
  
Suddenly the cyborg stirred, resuming the last action of its consciousness. The gun reset in her mouth and fired off according to the last thing seen, being the man who'd roamed her helpless body. Numerous shots bore holes into the ceiling and rained down plaster onto the floor. 2D jumped shielding his head with a shriek, and Sam sprung up from the cot flailing onto the floor in an army crawl. He shuffled for the opposite side of the bed and panicked for the couple up top to follow. 2D followed suit falling over the edge and grabbed around to pull Meryn to safety. His hand missed several times slapping at the mattress in hopes that he'd come in contact with her, too fearful to lift his head at the risk of being shot dead. Despite the gunshots and the shouting, Meryn didn't wake. Instead, she jerked in her sleep in the midst of a nightmare.

* * *

  
  
Through the eyes of her smaller bodied form and stature, the deaths of men never seen before took place in the layout of a large penthouse suite. Numerous unconscious women were laid out upon various furniture, some slightly clothed and others stark naked. A black smoke with thick clouds took over the flooring with every man choking and clawing in desperation to stay alive. Meryn looked down at her child-like hands and realized they were her own. She began to tremble and her small hands were filled with teeming darkness. Short legs moved on their own for one man in particular. On his knees, he was in the middle of a panic and restricted in his movements. Meryn paused before the cowering man as he pleaded in terror. "You gotta help me, I don't know what's going on!", he gasped inhaling a lung full or thick smoke and a familiar entity formed directly behind his wallowing body. Leather gloves and smoky tendrils grasped at the unknown man's body as the dark cloak expanded around the three of them.   
  
She knew not what was beyond the tinted orange glass of the gas mask or what expression the being wore, but as he leaned in Meryn felt the aura of cruel justice on an otherwise frail indifferent demon. Simply doing the job bestowed upon its very incorporeal existence, it or he offered a few considering soundless words to the child who momentarily held the consciousness of the 24-year-old adult Meryn in the present.  
  
**Here is your compensation.**  
  
In an instant, the nameless man's eyes went wide and his mouth tore open on an unholy gasp releasing the smog of his evil intentions that had been acted out on countless victims. "HGH!", he choked, gagged, and wretched up black until the flooring they stood on was a murky wasteland. The air became stagnant and from his agonizing mouth came every sin committed overflowing from his throat a waterfall of ink. The toxicity level rose quickly surrounding her ankles, then her knees, and her young legs as the pool increased in size. Then men who assisted the assaults of the victims, gasped for air as their mouths became overtaken by the collective evil of their ringleader. Consequently, they drowned and air bubbles gurgled at the final breaths of air to leave their strained lungs. The rot of one toxic man occupied their lungs and snuffed out the remaining life within through and through. She didn't know why, but the corners of her lips twitched with a maddening urge to smile. "Tch ehehe", she snickered reluctantly clasping a hand over her mouth at the threat of insanity. She hadn't a clue who this man was, but a quaking desire within told her what needed to be done. Staring into the glass of the Boogieman, it became clear.  
  
**Go on.**  
  
Out of her control, Meryn's trembling hands dove at the man ignoring how he flinched eying a young tan skinned child through his tears. Little fingers pried at the corners of his lips and she shoved her fist deep in the back of his throat. Dark liquid continued to flow from the orifice only slightly plugged by the entire forearm of a 9-year-old wedged in the small space. She could feel it; cold, moisture, and the tugging of his esophagus twitchy with unfathomable discomfort. The other arm was shoved inside past his gagging anatomy and overflowing darkness spurting black paint-like matter along her toasty skin. The smile that threatened to take her sanity grew into a full Glasgow Cheshire grin and both hands came together grasping what she was looking for. Meryn tugged away holding the cold prize in her small hands and tore from its source the organ of interest that contained his soul.  
  
Yanked from his mouth, the man's heart lay cold and stony in the palms of her little hands. Her arms covered and dripping in darkness all because of this wretched source. The man suddenly quieted from his vomiting and twitched becoming lifeless with his cold eyes rolling back in his skull. The stone contained a faint echoing beat. A heartbeat. It began to crumble with each pulse, and in no time it was dust. Sandy obsidian grains fell between the webbing of her fingers and the mountain of fragments blew from her hands into the cloak of the Boogieman like a dark desert storm. The body now limp imploded, biomatter crushed into a bizarre misshapen mass with limbs, and the inward force further broke his body frame with each pulse. It was horrifying, but the ghastly sight received no reaction from her child self. Before her adult consciousness, she witnessed the most revolting sight. In just a mere flicker of her lids, the unknown man became warped, turned inside out like a sleeve exposing the several colors that made up a human body. In the next moment, the morphing innards collapsed inwards taking with it the sludge that pooled and took over the volume of the pent, along with the expired drowned bodies of the other men. In that unfathomable amount of time, it had become a single tiny sphere with the mass of everything contained inside.   
  
There wasn't a trace of darkness remaining, only the unconscious women and furnishings as they'd been seen before the riddance of evil. The Boogieman held out a single gloved hand with the dark marble balancing in the center of his palm. Head tilted backward, Meryn opened her mouth accordingly with no control over her movements. It came naturally without a thought as if these actions had been wired into her. The hand above tilted releasing the bead and it disappeared inside.  
  
Gulp.  
  
She swallowed an enormous weight, like a miniature black hole. Instantaneously her body felt different. Downed was the evils of men to be contained in a neutral space, the innocence of her child self.   
  
**This is the cost.**  
  
She was a receptacle. 

* * *

  
"HM?!"  
  
Meryn awoke in a gut-wrenching gasp rising like a mummy who'd come back to life. She grasped at her stomach coming up for air in shock back to be conscious. She quickly looked around and sound broke through the piercing silence of her bodily return with all hell breaking loose around her. 2D and Sam sat ducking for cover whilst an array of shots were fired from the mouth of the beserk cyborg. "MERYN!", 2D continuously called her name trying to yank her body from the bed to the safety of the floor. Zero thought put forth, Meryn rose gliding to the out of control cyborg in a few wide strides clasping her bare hand over its mechanical entrance. His eyes went wide, and 2D jolted towards them leaving Sam shocked on the flooring between the queen sized bed and the wall. Stumbling over his feet for a moment, he sprinted in a few long-legged strides of his own, for fear of Meryn taking a hit. The usually hesitant and awkward man that he was spent no time thinking about his actions and tackled her to the floor, just as Cyborg Noodle seemed to regain control of her bearings. Electronic whirring halted and the gun receded as she hurriedly stood up at attention.  
  
"Wot tha' bloody fuck are yew doin'?!", 2D laid atop Meryn barked, seething irritation. She looked up at him with wide open eyes pinned below on her back. He was angry, angry at her. The typically blank expression he wore was replaced with a scowl. At the furrowing of his brows, wrinkling of his nose, and prominent frown; he looked at her with glaring voids as if she were a helpless moron who was far more trouble than she was worth. "Yew culda got KILLED jus' nao!",he shouted shaking her back and forth. She'd never seen him so upset, nor did she think he had it in him to knock her down by force. Meryn opened her mouth to speak but no words came. For some reason, she was afraid and stricken in silence. Sam peered from the side of the bed quietly observing the scene before him. His hands clenched nervously at the sheets; in a room with people he'd just met and the young girl he saved showing her true form. The cyborg went bland, with her tongue hanging from her mouth in disarray. It's head turned and she saw him, her savior. But, he'd seen her for what she was, a robot. Cyborg Noodle woefully turned away having been found due to another mysterious shutdown, and instead focused on the blue-haired dunderhead with his lover laid out on the floor.  
  
Monolidded eyes scanned over the sight, noticing that something about Meryn was different. The sensory functions still coming back online must be malfunctioning as well, because the body pinned beneath 2D emitted a signal similar to the cloaked entity Murdoc was on the run from.  
  
This was a mess.  
  
2D quieted with his voids narrowing into black slits.   
  
He said nothing, lifting himself from this woman looking through her rather than at her. he didn't extend a hand, Crossing his long arms at his chest and taking shallow breaths. Meryn sat up with a dazed wavering sway and she held her head trying to focus her misting eyes and understand her surroundings. “Are you O.K?”, a nervous voice asked from the far side of the bed. Meryn blinked her vision to normal coming to terms with the difference between the present and the nightmarish world she’d returned from. The present situation in which she found herself was hard to swallow. All eyes on her, a rising anxiety shook her core. Cyborg Noodle stared at her like an entirely different being, something other than human. The young man Sam watched in pity and confusion. 2D irrevocably ran low on patience and could only look at her in intervals.  
  
She froze in place and dissociated from the judging beings around her. It was painfully reminiscent of the looks received after torturing a man for 3 days. Fear. Pity. Concern. She was no longer recognized as a sound minded girl but rather some kind of inept alien who'd taken ownership of her physical form. Meryn began to ask herself the big questions.  
  
_Who am I?_  
  
_Who is Meryn?_  
  
_What am I supposed to do? Who am I supposed to be?_  
  
_What's wrong with me?!_  
  
  
Silence filled the room and everyone remained frozen in time, the only thing to thaw them was the sudden announcement on TV.  
  
“We are here live in front of the Marriott Hotel on the boardwalk of Valparaiso where local police continue to investigate the disappearance of an American fraternity: Sigma Delta Phi.”  
  
2D’s head swiveled to the screen as did the Cyborg Noodle and the newly acquainted Sam.  
  
“Sixteen young women aged 17 to 25 awoke this morning in confusion with none of the fraternity brothers to be found. Found on site were numerous narcotics commonly known as date-rape drugs, they are suspected to be the reason for the state of the women involved. As of now, each afflicted college-aged female has been taken in for questioning and will be issued blood tests for the presence of MDMA and Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid--”  
  
Slowly, 2D tilted his head towards his floored lover in suspicion, but for Meryn that was the last straw.  
  
**“STOP IT!”**  
  
Her voice scared even her the way it cut through the air in an abhorrent shriek. Meryn jumped to her feet without the aid of the man standing over her and trembled in his wake with her sore flayed arms held to her chest. The outburst gained the attention of both men and they flinched in surprise. Cyborg Noodle paid no mind to the sudden disturbance, far too caught up with the pent suite she had inhabited the night before now being featured on the morning news. Meryn felt the world crumbling around her, and she couldn't take it. So, she did what she did best. She ran.  
  
Bolting past the man she loved, she took nothing with her but the lounge clothes on her back and disappeared in a flash. Remaining immobile and merely watching with tired black eyes as she made her escape, 2D made no attempt to stop her and had no desire to follow. The door slammed behind her fleeing form, shaking the cheap framed pictures on the wall. “H-Hey your girlfriend--”, Sam stuttered trying to be the voice of reason to the man who had a meaningful relationship with the clearly bothered young woman. But he fell quiet, as it seemed he misunderstood the extent of their bond for something resembling unconditional love. If there was any love at all, it was clearly conditional for one of them.  
  
One thick brow rose in question, and 2D scoffed at the mere suggestion. Why was he responsible for going after her? He didn’t even know who she was at this point! With a sleepless night had after trying to please her the entire day before, 2D wanted to do nothing but take a handful of pills and pass out for an allotted amount of time. He said nothing, dragging his feet for the bed and plopped down on his bony rear at the edge of the mattress. Leaning forward with his mouth wrenching in dismay, he clasped both hands together before shakily running them through his unstyled cerulean hair. Long legs swung over each other onto the soft surface that was calling his name. He turned over, lying on his stomach and face planted into the pillows. Forfeiting responsibility, for now, 2D had checked out and blocked the two remaining individuals from consideration. “Who-Wha--”, Sam looked between the two unsure of where to start. His fraternity brothers had disappeared without a trace and left him stranded, the girl from last night was an android, a dangerous one at that, and last but not least, the couple who’d invited him in and gave him a place to rest his head was falling out before him. He shook his head, deciding on the petite humanoid after no response from the one called “2D”, and on cue the false human faced him.  
  
“Gah!”, Sam jumped a little wanting to back into the corner, but it appeared that the cyborg had only reached into the denim jacket pocket to retrieve a small notebook. Flipping a couple pages at a time, she suddenly scribbled onto the surface with the pen slid from the coiling spiral. The book was turned for him to read, even where he stood at a safe distance. With clear print written in bold letters, he saw the message.  
  
‘Thank you.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry everyone, I've been really irritable since before I wrote the last chapter. It's been difficult to shake, and I've been constantly angry the last 2 weeks. Per usual I drop everything when I'm like that and stop functioning like a normal adult. I ignore people, ignore life, and just sit and think. I started working on another fanfiction because I couldn't concentrate on the plot with Meryn and 2D, all I was thinking about was violence and revenge. Those things are a part of the story, but I don't want it to change the flow or take over what I planned out. So, I'm trying to let out frustration in bursts with the other one so I can be clear headed on my Magnum Opus lol. I appreciate everyone being patient. ^_^


	59. It's not rael

_Run, run away like you always do._  
  
Hands on her knees, she bent over simply trying to catch the breath she didn't have. Meryn tried to inhale but her lungs remained full of the last breath she took in the cheap hotel room she'd just run away from. Foggy brown eyes traveled everywhere; taking in the sights of the neverending jury that passed her by, they were all the same, people of varying race, gender, and stature judging her like the crazy person she was. She  was crazy. It had become abundantly clear as she struggled to determine hallucinations and dreams from reality. So much had happened in the past 24 hours; from the difficulties of her relationship to the nightmarish child hellscape and back. Her mood and emotional state had been unstable, content and then unstable again. She lacked the ability to pull herself together when it felt like the world was crumbling around her, and to add on, how was she supposed to begin to fathom the existence of some supernatural entity that held a portion of herself in his leathery claws? What was real at this point? It was all just a bad dream, a blackout of sorts that came and went at without warning.   
  
Too many questions had been left unanswered.  
  
_Who is the Boogieman?_  
  
_When did I cut myself?_  
  
_Is 2d going to leave me?_ At that, Meryn's heart broke in two.  
  
Meryn stood up straight wiping away tears that threatened to overflow, flashing looks of contempt to the staring eyes of those lingering around her struggling form. "Move", she said stern, parting the crowd of concerned individuals with a glare and command. Humiliation was an understatement, and total dissociation was the cure. Mouth held tight and her eyes set forward, she forced herself to move. Gradually the array of faces became blank and blurred out, their entire bodies became gray figures going about their business, leaving her to be the odd one out, the alien. Walking against the flow of faceless, featureless people, a demented smirk tugged at her lips. There she was, a walking modelesque nightmare. Wearing what she'd been sleeping in among the morning crowd of a lively boardwalk. Barefoot, braless, and a skimpy sight in a tight tank with shorts.  
  
In her mind's eye, she was someone else. A ball of a rage, on the edge, against the world by the turn of her back; she was much like her mother. Hell, from head to toe she certainly looked like her storming off barely dressed with no intention of going back. She'd seen it many times before, the long shapely legs of a bronze trailblazer stomping off or running to confront whoever rubbed her the wrong way. All that was missing was the cigarettes, the underlying Okinawan accent in her fluid speech, and the full-on barrage of Japanese insults thrown in the midst of a unstoppable rage. "Heh", Meryn almost smiled in nostalgia, Sol had picked up those habits. Legs crossed, wearing an unfriendly expression with a single brow risen and full lips in a permanent pout, that was mom. That's the way she remembered her; strong, unapologetic, and beautiful. She wondered, how she dealt with it, being the crazy girl. Obviously, there were people who didn't mind a head case, after all, that was how she was born.  
  
In the corner of her dull eyes, she spotted something, a familiar brand. "Newport", she mumbled now completely stopped in her tracks. The brand her mother always had. On every surface, in every room, in every drawer, there were always more. Unfortunately, the smoking habit was one of the things she remembered most. Losing a mother at a young age, Meryn hadn't the chance to really get to know or understand her mom. She grew up watching her back, or following after like the needy child she was. Eavesdropping on the numerous arguments her parents had, or rather the onesided freakshow being unloaded on her father. The third child and by far the most spoiled, she was babied by both of them because of how easily she cried. Aaron was always especially gentle with his daughters, but Marisol's explosive tendencies were given to any and everyone. Being scolded, reprimanded, asked a question she didn't know the answer to; Meryn almost always began to cry. And every time she did, Meryn saw a different side. Being held, treasured, and cherished by such an intimidating force of nature she was the extent she could comprehend a mother's love. Sol was a "momma's boy"; her firstborn, her little soldier. She chuckled to herself remembering how distinct their bond was, and even as a little kid being envious. Terra, the middle child who she feuded with regularly. And then there was Meryn, the baby.  Undoubtedly, Marisol had made the most mistakes with Sol, as expected from a young woman new to motherhood. But by the time Meryn had arrived, she had time to consider the mistakes of the past and work towards fixing them while bringing up her last child. If not for that, her older sister might've been able to stand her.  
  
Meryn shook her head, barreling into the shop advertising her mother's favorite brand. Hand slapped onto the counter, she mimicked the best she could, her mother's nature. "Hey, s'cuse me, can I get 2 Newports and um...throw in a vanilla cigarillo would'ya?"  
  
It sounded weird coming out of her mouth, never mind that, what was the purpose of this? Trying to summon inner strength by reenacting her mother's mannerisms when she was alive? It was a new level of pathetic and pointlessness that Meryn didn't want to think about. The man behind the counter was taken a back a bit, and scuttled around to locate them at her request. Quietly, he placed them on the surface and went to ring up each barcode. But the mom she remembered wouldn't wait around for that. Digging into her shorts, she snatched a crisp dollar bill held by the elastic of her panties and slapped it in front of him. "Here ya go", Meryn continued the imitation with the lax easy-going drawl. He'd definitely seen a bit more of her than he'd been prepared for and went dumb the second his eyes dipped curiously to the brief exposure. Confident hands darted for her purchase and snatched them away in one smooth movement and she granted him with a smile,"Keep the change."  
  
At the swish of her hips and the hair over her shoulder, she waltzed off. A false smile on her face and an adopted mentality sure did wonders. Gorillaz was a non-factor, as far as she was concerned she was now on a desperately needed vacation. Without a thought, she strutted across the boardwalk for the ocean. Skipping over the concrete seawall in an impressive hurdle and landing on her butt. "Ehehe", Meryn snickered having never felt so cool and settled along the stony ocean barrier. It came naturally somehow; flicking the lighter to life with the fresh cigarette teetering on the bottom row of teeth and sandwiched between her pursed lips. Leaning into the flame, she took in a deep cancerous breath and exhaled her troubles in the form of a large plume. "Hnn", she half groaned hating the way it tasted but carried on repeating the cycle. Leaning back on the on her hands, Meryn occupied herself staring at the push and pull of the ocean waves. It was better than dealing with the present.

* * *

"Ugh...", Sam sighed at the predicament he found himself in. Not even 12 hours ago, these people didn't exist to him. And now, he found himself stranded at the disappearance of his fraternity brothers with a dysfunctional couple and their trigger-happy humanoid robot. Even now, to his right, the petite false human in question remained by his side. It seemed she had imprinted on him, as Cyborg Noodle refused to go off on her own as he suggested. All he wanted to do was find the acquainted violet-haired woman to prevent something terrible from happening, which was more than her own boyfriend could say he'd done. 5 hours into the search, he was growing impatient, it'd be a lot faster if there were two pairs of eyes effectively searching the tourist destination, but alas this was the hand he was dealt.  
  
Running a hand through his deep auburn hair, he eyed the tactless gawking of the android. "So um", he started, drawing a blank on how to accept the surreal circumstances,"You never told me your name." She frowned briefly looking elsewhere, before grumbling a bizarre guttural response. "Oh um", Sam awkwardly pointed to the notebook jutting from the denim pocket. She complied, quickly scribbling a proper answer.  
  
'I don't like my given name.'   
  
"O-Okay, sorry just wondering...So um", he nodded trying to quickly think of another conversation topic,"How-How old are you by the way?"  
  
'3.'  
  
"W-What?", Sam forced himself to laugh. The android girl thought it over and crossed out her answer with an X. She rewrote her best guess, correlating her age to Noodle's in the present day.  
  
'19.'  
  
"R-Really?", he almost shouted gaining the attention of random people nearby. "Sorry", suddenly blurted from his mouth now conscientious of his volume,"I just didn't think you were my age, I turn 20 in August."  
  
She simply acknowledged that little bit of information and that seemed to be the end of it, as she walked off without another moment wasted for such loaded questions. He'd never been so uncomfortable in his life. "Christ", the young man mumbled under his breath,"I should've gone to that Christian college..." He hurried to catch up with the peculiar little weapon, decidedly giving into the craziness. Coming upon the brand hotel of last night, a feeling of unease set in, weighing heavy in his gut. Walking past the small crowd forming outside and the bilingual investigative police, he was conflicted about what should be done. Should he come forward and give his testimony at the risk of being involved with a date rape frat party? Or should he remain quiet for the rest next two days, return home on his scheduled flight, and withdraw from Penn State the second he landed? The whole ordeal was proving to be more trouble than it was worth. "Oh!", he resounded pointing a finger past the android," Found her!"  
  
There she was indeed. Meryn sat along the endless seawall aimlessly kicking her legs back and forth. Her skin noticeably darker than hours before and an empty carton of cigarettes by her side. He approached in a burst of energy like seeing an oasis in the middle of a hopeless desert and left the cyborg in the dust. "HEY!", he called skipping formalities. Over her shoulder, cinnamon eyes landed on the two. She put forth a weary smile having been found and pivoted to face him. "Have you been here this whole time?", Sam asked catching his breath. "We were looking for you for hours!", he shouted a tad in exasperation.  Meryn looked a little surprised by the slight raise of her arched brow. For a moment she searched for something to say, an adequate utterance of her irresponsible disappearance. But in the next she gave up, simply shrugging off giving any explanation. "I'm sorry", came half-hearted and soft-spoken,"You didn't have to waste time looking for me..."  
  
It was saddening and beyond pitiable.  
  
She looked and acted a bit different than the tired girl he'd met some hours ago. His eyes examined the unstable person before him and landed on red, swelling lines that now marked her forearms. He opened his mouth to speak but didn't know what to say. "I know what you're thinking", the distant woman said plainly, lighting yet another cigarette from a fresh new carton,"And I'll be fine."   
  
"..."  
  
It was difficult. Seeing the red cuts lining her skin, above all, doing nothing to help. Distress was evident, and nothing she could say could or would convince him otherwise. It was something he heard of, something he'd seen portrayed on T.V. and in movies. In person, however, it was surreal. "Can...", he struggled to force the words out his mouth,"Can I ask why?"   
  
"Huh?", Meryn almost broke out of the jaded trance in surprise that someone actually showed genuine interest. Not the obligatory question she was used to getting, where everyone asked if she was simply "O.K." and moved on. Brows furrowed trying to comprehend how and why he cared when he'd only just met her. "I--", Sam started again trying to reword the question. But he needn't do that.  
  
"Well...", Meryn trailed off putting her thoughts together for a legitimate response, "It's to let it out."  
  
"I...see." Sam nodded along,"And...what made you...erm...what almost happened to..." He looked to his side, down to the curious being standing at attention. "You know...", he mumbled,"I never knew that people did this stuff--NOT YOU--Uh..." His lack of grace was embarrassing, but the woman he addressed was kind enough to offer a patient smile as if she'd dealt with this level of rambling on a regular basis. If only he knew. "It's alright...", she reassured taking another drag,"For me its just...personal." He nodded again rustling through his locks and found his arm somehow looped with another. The cyborg took the moment to link arms the second it rose into the air. She practically hung from his body, leaving him puzzled to say in the least. "Pfft!", suddenly she was laughing, howling even as she teetered on the stone wall. "She seems to have taken a liking to you!", Meryn chortled eyeing the sight of a petite robot hanging from the limb of some poor man she'd imprinted on as if he were her own personal jungle-gym. "D-Does it-she-always do this?", he whined with a pleading glint in his eyes.   
  
"Nope!", Meryn said casually kicking her bare feet,"That means you must be special!"  
  
Sam was conflicted between being flattered and heavily inconvenienced. He grumbled a cross between the two being jerked in the opposite direction. "Hey", Meryn spoke up leaning forward past the acquainted man. She exchanged a look with the sentient machine, one he didn't quite understand. "What's going on?", she asked lowering her voice,"Why do you keep shutting down?" By the silence that followed after, it was apparent that she didn't know. The usually blank-faced machine all of a sudden became a big ball of worry. Emerald green peeking from loose fringe emoted fear of the unknown. The one who did repairs on her was Murdoc or anyone he forced into maintaining her functionality. It wouldn't be the end of the world if she intended to return to Plastic Beach, but in the midst of her self discovery, the curious Noodle-copy had grown to cherish her freedom. Life was more than just patrolling, armed weaponry, and servitude; it didn't have to be lonely and mundane. The problematic woman had taught her that. Meryn looked to the little bot with consideration and sentiment, knowing that understanding emotions, wants, and self-help couldn't be easy for someone so new to the real world. The one who'd truly spoken to her when no one else bothered to try offering a small smile. "Well, we'll look into what's going later", Meryn forced herself to shrug, not wanting to give away the unease of something bad happening. "Go on and have a little fun, we'll worry about it later", with a dismissive smirk, she brought the neglected cigarette to her lips,"Everyone deserves to have fun once and a while."  
  
The Cyborg ceased the tugging of the man's arm. She stood there frozen Meryn's freeing words. Digging into the denim pocket, she wrote down a reply. It took much longer than usual, the reason why was made clear the second she turned the book around for view.  
  
'Thank you for treating me like someone, instead of treating me like Noodle. You really ARE Meryn after all.'  
  
They say practice makes perfect. But that was an understatement. Her features glowed, and her man-made expression broke free of the same old emotionless stare. Cyborg Noodle beamed from ear to synthetic ear. All smiles and carefree, Meryn hadn't even seen the real Noodle smile quite like this. She saw them both; an old friend and a someone entirely new. Sniffling, Meryn looked away withholding the urge to be tender. One part of what the android said was bothering her.  
  
"What do you mean, saying I'm me after all?"  
  
For a moment, the very happy cyborg looked almost puzzled. The false appendage hovered over the small book before she scribbled down the answer.  
  
'Earlier, my senses detected a non-human presence, and that reading was coming from you.'  
  
Meryn stopped breathing.  
  
'The same energy reading of the Boogieman.'  
  
"Ummm", Sam chimed, asserting his own forgotten presence,"Should I let you two talk?" He received an answer in the form of a violent tug. His body jerked forward from the impressive strength and collided with the immovable metal humanoid.  Meryn went silent, dead silent. Rather than risk losing her chosen companion, the cyborg backed away linked at the arm with her captive love interest. He looked at Meryn for help, but she had gone elsewhere. Even though her physical body remained, the vibrance in her complexion was absent, along with her pupils that seemed to disappear into earthy tones. "Don't worry about it", she insisted despite the lackluster performance. "I-I just need a minute!" Her acting was getting worse, and panic was showing plain on her face. Struggling to catch her breath, Meryn forced the fakest of expressions. It was an insult to the intelligence of others to hope that anyone would take her unnatural grin seriously.  
  
Quick thinking enabled her to focus on something else, bringing her shaky hand up from her side she pointed to the little notebook receiving odd looks from the pair. "Could I use that really quick?", she mumbled through her teeth. "There's something I've been meaning to do-Erm say-Or write...Just let me--For a minute...", Meryn spoke in inconsistent run on sentences forgetting the formation of basic sentence structure in the midst of a light-headed tangent. Gone blank in the face, the Cyborg complied handing it over. Flipping to a new sheet, she fidgeted jotting down whatever it was she had on her mind. "This is for you, Sam", she said finally addressing some part of her intentions. "What is it?", he asked watching her tear the sheet from its spiral bind. Folding it in fours, Meryn took a much needed deep breath, but it didn't stop the staggering rambles from coming out her cigarette laden mouth,"I know this is weird, and we all just met or whatever but um, we could really use the help--I--could really use the help."  
  
He took it, looking back up to her in the utmost confusion. "It's the contact information of a friend of mine-We-We've been--", something was clearly off, she cleared her throat looking away from the pairs of suspicious eyes. "She hasn't been answering me--And-Well-I just thought--", less sense was being made the more she attempted to pretend everything was O.K. Meryn swallowed the lump in her throat and focused on the sand shifting below in the ocean breeze. "It's an emergency contact-Think of it like that!", nodding rapidly she jumped to her feet, down from the height of the stone wall. Bare feet sunk against the grains and she stumbled to her natural stature snatching the carton of cigarettes from the granite surface. "I-I know its weird, we just met and all, but when you go back to the states, could you get in contact with her for me? She-She'll probably answer-Just tell her where I am and to call home-I-I wouldn't ask you to call somewhere out of the country so...", rambling on and on, she knew she wasn't making a lick of sense, at this point she probably sounded less concise than 2D. Meryn shook her head,"I-I'm gonna take a walk, you two just--."  
  
When she looked at the both of them, they were entranced. The trainwreck just kept going, running her mouth like a coked-up head case.  
  
_I'm losing my mind._  
  
No more words said Meryn trembled in fear of uncertainty. Haunted by insecurity, shame, and some dark entity looming in the confines of her being. Off she went after handing back the notebook she'd unknowingly wrenched apart. The pages a bit unraveled and coming undone, crinkled up, to the Cyborg's annoyance. Pocketing the disheveled book, she grumbled a mechanical whir and led her reluctant companion away by the arm. Sam was beyond exhausted with the lack of insight, moreover being stuck with these people and their malfunctioning metal human. Eyes in a squint he watched her fleeing form, running as she'd done before. He was becoming fed up with the series of events that wouldn't have happened if he's just minded his own business. Murmuring a plea to himself, Sam stammered off under the rule of a false teen,"I gotta get outta here."

* * *

Dragged this way and that, there was no place that they hadn't trekked. The entire boardwalk had been roamed several times in the span of hours. Not once did they encounter Meryn again, and 2D hadn't been seen since that morning. "Hey", a very drained Sam said in an almost weary plea,"Could we stop for a minute? Sit down maybe?" The cyborg considered his words, snatching his fatigued body in another direction without looking the man in the eye. He winced and stumbled after, being tugged through the dwindling crowds of tourists. Past the rides and concession stands and onto the beach, the android came to an abrupt stop. Plopping onto the sand with a thud, she stretched her legs out staring out at the rising tide. Sam sighed, taking a seat beside her. Another sigh sounded and breath came out in a puff as he held his head in the palms of his calloused hands. He murmured something, dragging the appendages down his exasperated features, and went to eye the emotionless one to his left. Surprisingly, at the moment, she wasn't so stony. In fact, the petite thing seemed bothered. Reaching into the blue jean pocket, the infamous notebook was retrieved. Bringing knees to her chest, she began to write using her bare legs as a surface. Head hung, she slowly extended her arm, holding out the top page for view.  
  
'Thank you for pitying me.'  
  
The man swallowed hard, suddenly feeling guilty. "I-um-It's not--", he attempted to spare its feelings, but it seemed the damage had been done. Head hung, Sam groaned running both hands through his auburn hair," Sorry..." Leaf green glass stayed forward on the rushing waves of the sea and the foam gathering along the damp sand. Returning the note to her lap, she continued to express unsaid grief.   
  
'If I were a real girl, would it still be a burden?'  
  
Scrambling for a correct response, he licked his lips,"I-I don't know." Yet another sigh came bursting from his lungs,"I'm worried about getting home, to be honest, and well..." He fell silent for a moment, in remembrance of the group he'd come here with. Not knowing their whereabouts, he was beginning to think the worst. "Those guys weren't good people...", he thought out loud,"But I've spent two semesters getting to know them and...I don't know, I never thought the stigma about fraternity activities would be true." Suddenly, he turned to face the being. "I'm sorry about what happened yesterday", he apologized. Sorry for what? She wasn't sure, but Sam was adamant despite the weirdness of the situation. An android teen had been molested last night, one who could defend herself, if she had been functioning properly. What was so confusing about the situation, was the amount of damage done, if at all. It certainly didn't seem there was any harm, besides, what could actually be done to an android? The confused exchange of glances earlier from 2D and Meryn all of a sudden made perfect sense. "Are you feeling O.K?", he asked out of sheer curiosity,"Does anything...hurt?"  
  
'I don't feel anything.'  
  
The answer came easier than he expected.  
  
"Oh", Sam nodded awkwardly,"Well that's good at least..."  
  
The cyborg shifted as if he had unknowingly burned her. 'I don't think so. What's "good" about feeling nothing?'  
  
To say he was confused would an understatement. Squirming uncomfortably in the robot's stare, he kept any further questions to himself, and instead changed the subject. "W-Where did you guys come from? Why're you here?", the man asked averting his gaze. Try as he might, he couldn't completely look away, caught up in the intensity of brilliant green. He froze, partly from intimidation and the other immobilized by another feeling. He'd been avoiding her line of sight all day, it was easy, until now. Something about it or her was oddly human at the moment. An air perpetual dissatisfaction permeated between them, and it was evident by the slightly perturbed scowl she wore. Marble orbs drifted to the lined notebook page and another response was uttered.  
  
'We sailed from 48° 52′ 36″ S, 123° 23′ 36″ W. Point Nemo as it's called, but we know it as Plastic Beach. We came to play hooky.'  
  
He didn't think it possible to be even more confused, but yet here he was in an ongoing daze of perplexity. Shaking his head, he rolled his eyes, half laughing to himself as he decided to humor the answer given. "So you're from a place called Plastic Beach, and you came here to...", he scoffed holding skull,"Play hooky...?" She nodded, scribbling another utterance.  
  
'I don't want to go home, I don't think the others do either', looking off in the direction of the boat they'd come on, Cyborg Noodle fell into an all-time low.  
  
Shoulders slumped, and her head hung in a stupor, she was as helpless as she'd been hours prior. Laying paralyzed in the dark once her sight and ability to move had failed. Alone as usual but surrounded by people she couldn't understand, feelings and motives lost on her inexperienced brain that was just a wad of circuitry located in her bulletproof skull. Helplessness came in more than one form, and both proved to be debilitating limits set by egocentric humans. Her commander and this now deceased male who'd succeeded in getting what he wanted; what was the difference, if both outcomes would be more or less the same? The reality was, she had no freedom, her existence and purpose were decided for her. Whether she liked it or not, she was given the identity of another. Noodle. How she resented that name. Some long-lost Japanese girl had inadvertently decided her name, face, body, and value. She wondered, was the original subjected to this kind of treatment? Being born into an inescapable life of commands, was she just the physical replacement who'd been created to serve? Did the true Noodle have a life of her own, with no limits on where she could go or what she could do? The consciousness of an empty being yearned to be filled with something. Anything.  
  
The atmosphere changed on cue with the setting sun. From melancholy to a distinct curiosity. Sam eyed the smaller form with sympathy, as she'd sat still for some time now. No longer dumbfounded and annoyed with the odd happenings of the day, he lifted a hand to gauge a response of some kind. "Hey", he said, waving the appendage in front of the cyborg's face. She blinked, staring with growing intent.   
  
'I have a selfish request, please close your eyes.'  
  
Instant reaction. The man's eyes widened focusing on the words of the page dimmed in the absence of natural lighting. Several times he reread the sentence, thinking maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him, but every single time it was the same. Gradually, his gaze drifted to the silent teen sat upright in the same gray floral dress of last night. The same loose fit around the chest, and a lack of coverage peeking out from the parting of the jean jacket worn. A seriousness in her glass eyes, and the unmistakable look of romantic intentions. He found himself sighing at the predicament, but still, he obliged. Shutting his eyes, Sam felt the immediate presence of another. A form so close, it could be felt without ever making physical contact. Much like other girls, the cyborg felt female enough. It was made apparent by the soft connection of her lips to his. Without warning, it was taken a step further with a full invasion of his personal space. "Hrrph", he complained a bit weirded out as he fell backward, held up only by his elbows against the sand. The body on him was light, not quite warm but definitely not cold either. He was letting her do what she wanted, and whatever came to mind she had no hesitation doing. Climbing atop his lean body, never breaking from the single kiss she was bestowing upon him, Cyborg Noodle laid against the man in search of something she'd seen many times before. A spark.  
  
It was almost normal with his eyes closed, the same as any other girl no doubt, except for a few unknown features. Body to body, her sensors picked up the essence of life beating from within. A slightly higher than normal rate, and erratic palpitations were noted to be sought after. Prosthetic arms wrapped around him and his head instinctively tilted to the side. Sam sighed going along with her lead. In the back of his overactive mind, two thoughts were more significant than the others. It was strange, knowing that this girl wasn't human and yet she felt so real that his male code was having conflicting ideas. His lower half, in particular, couldn't decide on being uncomfortable or turned on when she was sitting on his lap. She had him where she wanted him, and remained dead set on experiencing what she thought love to be. Backward and forward, she ground her hips like she'd seen Meryn do time after time whenever she happened upon the security cameras that Murdoc used for his voyeuristic past time.  
  
"Unh", moaned against her lips, and he froze. The movement continued and he wouldn't move a muscle. Only a pant or a sigh now and then from below, that is until he began to lose his will. Soft tender flesh grazed along the jeans he wore, inexplicably similar to the anatomy of a girl his age, and involuntarily his hips bucked forward. Cyborg Noodle drew away, straddling him from above, and when he opened his eyes he seemed to halfway snap back to his senses. Nimble fingers tugged at his zipper, and he shuddered in confusion. "S-Stop it", he mumbled wrenching her hands away. She did, simply remaining on comfortable seating. He rose from the sand look around in embarrassment at the people pretending not to notice a short distance away and sighed averting his gaze from the false female settled on his lap. Willing away the arousal of a minute prior, Sam nudged her to leave him be.  
  
There was no resilence, Cyborg Noodle removed herself from his personal space and sat at attention on her knees. She was, however, visibly distraught, angry even. Shuffling away, her eyes followed him and intimidated him to sit still. Sam chuckled nervously, dusting the back of his head from where it lay on the sand," Sorry, but I'm not comfortable doing that and we're kind of in a public place..." Before he could continue to make valid but upsetting excuses, Cyborg Noodle pounced forward scaring the man out of his skin for a moment. He flinched, clenching his teeth expecting to be hit, but all that came was the notebook practically smashing into his face.  
  
'Why won't you be a man?! Even that idiot 2D knows when to lay down!'  
  
"Wow", Sam mumbled against the pages a bit flabbergasted,"That was really mean." The android shot him a look removing the notebook from view. "This-This is just really weird, O.K.?", he tried to reason with her,"And just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I'll always want stuff like that!" She seemed taken aback by his words, enough to cease angry scribbling. "Try to understand", he said regaining sympathetic feelings from before she tried to have sex with him. "What happened to you yesterday was wrong. It was something you didn't want, and L-Leo he...Did it anyway. Thank God he didn't get that far but...Anyway, just because we could doesn't mean we should. And like you weren't obligated to do something you didn't like, I shouldn't be expected to do something just because you want it."  
  
'You did want it.' It was written hastily and her point was driven home by the underlining of the keyword.  
  
Sam blushed acknowledging that much," O.K. I-I mean maybe I did, but that's not that point..." He fixed his belt and swallowed that truth, but his mind wouldn't be changed. "Why are you so dead set on being with me?", he couldn't help but ask. An answer weighed heavy on her mind, and she sank in posture.  
  
'Because, you smiled at me, you even called me pretty.'  
  
"You are pretty...", he clarified as quickly as possible," I was being nice! I-I mean I'm not really looking to be with anyone right now and just having sex wouldn't make that happen."  
  
'Then what is the point?'  
  
"Well...I think it's love.", he answered thoughtfully,"Without it, its just sex."   
  
'Is that why their relationship is failing?'  
  
He raised a brow in puzzlement,"If you mean Meryn and 2D, maybe, I don't know them so I can't give you an answer on that."  
  
Cyborg Noodle was defeated. Every bit of what made her close to being human in these past moments gone just like that. She balled up by herself, holding her knees to her chest hiding away from the humiliation of being denied what she thought might set her free. It was unusual, the feeling that suddenly engulfed her. Warmth and kindness enveloped her broken dreams and she closed her eyes taking it all in. The fact that she understood nothing, the inevitable reality she found herself stuck in, and the loneliness of being a small misguided android came all at once. Even being held by the simple man she'd put on a pedestal, it didn't take away the indistinguishable dissatisfaction. "I wish I could help you figure it all out", he said softly into her hair,"But I gotta go back home."  
  
She wanted to go with him, even if he refused her. If she could run away, she'd like to take her chances with him. But that was a stupid idea.  
  
Sam sighed momentarily letting her go. He reached behind his head and undid the knot of thread around his neck. From underneath his shirt, he retrieved a handmade necklace. Both hands were brought over her and he fastened the necklace in place around her neck. Cyborg Noodle peeked through the gaps of her lids down to the little cross ornament dangling between her smallish breasts. Before she knew it, he resumed the embrace and her head fell in place against his firm chest. "I think you might need it more than me", he said with a heavy heart. The source of organic life beat steadily against her synthetic ear and the sound of blood pumping echoed throughout the chamber. Her hand clenched the crucifix, holding the little bit of evidenceless hope near and dear. She didn't know God, but maybe he knew who she was. Vision blurred by an unknown substance, she shut her eyes and ignored the liquid that streamed down her cheek.   
  
Without indication, her body suddenly went limp, and the ability to open and close her eyes was lost. Just as before, something was wrong.  
  
"Finally! Took a couple days but eh, what're ya gonna do, yeah?" The breathy voice rang in her head, among the sounds of clutter and the maddening scratching sounds of a microphone. Gulping and unpleasant grunts resonated within her bulletproof skull,"Is-Is it on? Oh hold on...just gonna...check the mic here." The shuffling and scratching disappeared, and the voice came through crystal clear in all its grunting glory. "Ah there we are, n-now I'll be completely honest with you, I've had a bit to drink AND I'm on my way to yourrrrr location so I'll be a bit out of sorts by the time I get there but til then, you're gonna do some damage control", there was no doubt about it, the alcohol-laden drawl of Murdoc Niccals could be identified by anyone, "You might've noticed that you have these unexpected shutdowns, but don't worry your little metal head, I'll be there to fix you soon!"  
  
"Hm", he grumbled in thought,"Then again it could have something to do with this bloody remote connection, it was real shit, especially in England yeah? Signal kept going in and out! But! I'm just north of you now, so Uncle Murdoc is in control!" The man who'd put an end to their little game of hooky snickered in anticipation,"Now, go on and get started rounding up the gang, not that you've got a choice in the matter..."  
  
Emerald eyes shot open and an arm involuntarily shoved the man who'd been nice enough to sit with her aside. "HEY!", Sam shouted tumbling backward across the sand. He writhed holding his head rising from the neck breaking position he found himself in. Spitting sand particles from his mouth, he sat bewildered and agitated watching a different being march off with alarming urgency. Like a cruel joke, the ideology that her dream could ever be real was snatched out from under her. Piercing eyes full of woe stuck on him for a moment as she peered over her shoulder hoping a look would suffice for a 'goodbye', and she was gone. Back to the grain and back to misery for all, their fun time was officially over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmkay, I'm gonna have to increase the number of chapters, I made this one long to avoid having tons of extras but Rhinestone Eyes chapter will probably wind up being Chapter 63. I started writing the next one already because I wanna get this shit started already. Realllllly bad writer's block and distractions have been getting in the way of updates and I'm not happy about it, so I'm going to update again on Sunday to move things along. It's been a while since I've posted two chapters in the same week, but *cracks knuckles* I'm gonna do it. Godspeed.


	60. Ripple Effect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a dumb fact, "Meryn" means "of the sea", and has two ways of pronouncing it. "Mur-In" or "Mare-In". 
> 
> Mur-In fucking sounds stupid.

It was all just a lie, false hope given in the midst of pity. No matter how beautiful freedom and individuality sounded, the life of an replica was just that. Someone else's. In the end, those thoughtful words Meryn bestowed were just wishful thinking. This was reality, heavily administered in a cruel dosage by Murdoc Niccals himself. Controlled like a puppet, not even allowed to walk to her fate on her own, each step taken for her was stiff and contrived. The onlooking stares of evening patrons, and the drunken banter of impending imprisonment in her head went on and on. Like a torturous march through limbo, where the worst moments of life are experienced in a never ending loop until the end of time. Taken too soon from the comforting embrace of a kind heated man and forced to fulfill the predetermined tasks, she would never be anything more than what she was built to be.  
  
A cyborg replacement.  
  
Down the boardwalk just past the hotel of last night's fraternity scandal, the signature of the target became picked up in an instant. With Meryn somewhere nearby, half of the task she'd been given would be complete and they'd all be on their way back to Plastic Beach, otherwise known as prison. Jerking her body this way and that, the poor cyborg tried to resist. Bucking half her disobedient form away from the far end secluded area of shoreline, but it only caused the patronizing and sozzled voice in her head to crackle at her meaningless efforts. "Oh no you don't", Murdoc breathed heavy into the mic, her circuits practically dampened at his continued throaty croaks and grumbles. Just like that, all effort was snuffed out with the flick of a remote switch. Emerald eyes went wide and the petite body slumped in posture, trudging in her boots across the sand, the purple haired woman was in sight.  
  
'Help.'  
  
Still very much conscious, Cyborg Noodle inwardly shook in discontent. Mouth twitching and tense in the face plate, she wished she could scream. Yell, shout, make a fuss, something to warn the woman who'd been nothing but kind. But as she approached, she noticed the presence of someone else, the same dark aura shrouded her back turned visage. Like smog, thick plumes of smoke seemed to rise from her feet and caused her wild unkempt hair to flutter about like tendrils. Meryn's shoulders held high up in a terrified stance, and yet she did something the young cyborg hadn't thought possible.  
  
A chill ran up Meryn's spine, and she clenched her fist ignoring the pain of her nails stabbing against her palms. Breathing erratic and heart rate off the charts, her entire body felt the soul shaking horror. She wavered a bit, gasping for air at times and hyperventilating whenever she got a breath. Voice creaking, her arms lifted from her side. Trembling and reaching out for someone or something, she sounded as if she might break in two at any given moment. Then suddenly--  
  
"STOP!"  
  
Shaky hands become sure and gained equilibrium, coming down upon the shoulders of a spiritual being. The being, was made visible the second her hands made contact and there it stood. The Boogieman. Imposing, above her mere human strength and capabilities, it stuck out like the Grim Reaper come to life. Expressionless by the gas mask that covered its face, it looked down to the bold move in an almost curious manner. But in the next moment, it was shaken back and forth with heavy unyielding force. Meryn exerted it all; her fears, guilt, shame, and rage, violently shaking this harbinger of evil like a rag doll. The gas mask bobbled around on its axis and the gloved hands sprung out in a flighty fit. "NO!", she grunted jerking the entity with pained aggressive cries,"STOP SHOWING ME!"  
  
The carnage, the macabre, the faces of people she never seen drowning in the darkness and filth of their collective evil deeds.  
  
Over and over, throughout the day without warning like an intrusive thought she hadn't even begin to fathom how to counter.  
  
"I CAN'T DO THIS!", she cried throwing herself at the being nearly knocking the dark figure off balance. She begged and pleaded, whilst bombarding on the tips of her bare toes. "I-I DID'NT-", she whimpered holding back the want to go berserk,"I didn't kill them-Did I?" Her heart sank in disgust, and a lump formed in her throat. Staring into the lenses of the demon, she searched the tinted glass for an answer. Meryn leaned in grasping the collar of his cloak, hyperventilating for the hundredth time today. She swallowed the sharp lodge, lips quivered caught dead in the gaze of certain death, but she didn't fear the end of her life. In fact, she was beginning to welcome it. What she feared was the end of herself as life had made her. Definitely not an innocent person, but Meryn desperately wanted to cling to what remained. Torture and murder were in different leagues , and barely accepted the lesser offense committed in her teens.   
  
"Please", she squeaked lowering her head scrunching up her face in plea,"Make it stop..."  
  
She waited, and waited, but no explanation came. Gradually, she opened her eyes and found that she was talking to nothing. It had gone without a trace, and left her to figure it out for herself. Alone. Swallowing the turmoil that threatened to boil over, Meryn panted and winced at the sting in her throat. Empty and forsaken, her hands dropped to her sides. "I wanna go home...", came in a whimper at the parting of her lips.  
  
But where was home? Not Plastic Beach, not the United Kingdom, not even Shibuya, Japan. A cruel smirk pulled her mouth in a rueful upturned stupor, and she acknowledged how weak, lost, and broken she truly was. Longing to return to the original place called home, back to the start where everything was perfectly imperfect. Where mom and dad were still alive to offer her words of advice when the world seemed to be crumbling all around. Whether that advice be from her fearless mother with loose cannon or from her patient and careful father. Tall and unmovable in their bond no matter how chaotic, that's how she remembered them. With Terra barely able to stand her whining, and  Sol not yet jaded to the ups and downs of life or with his fate decidedly ending on one fatal mistake, Meryn could run to him and cry her eyes out like the little sister he'd watched grow. From a spoiled sensitive toddler, then to an emotionally disturbed child, and finally to the last of her life he'd ever witness, being a sarcastic gloomy teen.  
  
The sister and daughter left behind was a cynical, guarded, heap of anguish.  
  
Boots stomped through the sand, flinging damp earth with every step. It stopped behind her back turned slouch, waiting for the next command to decide it's controlled movements. Cyborg Noodle's mouth came undone and she emitted distress through mechanically altered sounds. Much like a sigh filtered through a vibrating frequency, it was like nothing either of them had ever heard. Meryn turned her head, looking over her hung shoulder with fatigued watery brown eyes. She struggled to tear the perpetual woe from her features and offered a unnatural half smile. "Oh...it's you", she said in a hushed tone attempting to clear her throat,"What happened to Sam?"  
  
Cyborg Noodle wanted to answer. Wanted to tell her everything. That she'd gotten so close to real companionship, but fell back down to the real world, where dreams are just that. Dreams. And like always, all dreams must end. No warning or indication, the cyborg's small hand grasped the wrist at Meryn's side. She gasped as her limb was yanked from where it hung and stared confused at the sudden hold. Her brows furrowed a tad, and she spoke up,"What're you doing?" A second yank, and she nearly stumbled forward. "Use your notebook", Meryn said dry and fightless. It happened again; this time being tugged along towards the boat they'd sailed inland on. "Hey", she complained,"Hey! Answer me! That hurts!"  
  
Dragging the woman across the beach, Cyborg Noodle's face tensed and she clenched her synthetic teeth with the reply she couldn't utter. 'I...can't."  
  
"I said stop!", Meryn yanked her arm back, snatching her limb from its harsh grasp.   
  
"Oh-OH you found her did you?", Murdoc's voice resounded,"Well never mind the back and forth, just take her into captivity and move onto the moron!" The false Noodle snatched the arm back, gripping her wrist with no chance of escape. "Tch", Meryn winced,"W-Wait stop!" Her teeth clenched and she momentarily gave into the tugs wanting to avoid the worst. "Ow ow ow", she shrieked,"Hold on!"   
  
"Oh come on", the green man groaned taking a quick swig, "She's not THAT strong but since you're having sooo much trouble, here I'll override your limiters." An inexplicable change took place within. The cyborg's body became lighter, quicker, more capable than before. But the capabilities of an armed android are already staggering, this override increased it tenfold. "Mmkay, I'm landing now so finish it up already and have her secure by the time I get there", he chortled and grunted,"See you both soon heghmmhm."  
  
Cyborg Noodle had two purposes; replacing the fallen guitarist, and combat. Many potential threats had been met with brute force, all of them armed or in the very least formidable. Meryn was only human. No special abilities or access to firearms, she was vulnerable, made of flesh and blood. Easy. Fragile. Breakable. Emerald eyes narrowed into focus, and the grip of a metal endoskeleton imposed superiority over the woman's feeble attempts. There was no way to stop it. No matter how much the young curious being wanted to resist, it was already happening. The false Noodle looked her in the eye wearing a strained expression, but by the sound of the inevitable and the look of horror surfacing on Meryn's features, the cyborg turned away averting her glassy gaze.  
  
**Pop.**  
  
All emotion left Meryn's face for a moment, and she froze with both eyes wide open. Time seemed to stand still as she came to understand what that sound was. Her body suddenly began to vibrate, with both legs shaking like a newborn fawn. The last breath she took still remained held in her lungs and vocal cords swelled with anticipation. Brown eyes trailed to her right and landed on the disfigured limb. The sight bizarre and disturbing, with a rounded point jutting from its socket. The lump in Meryn's throat burned and her stomach threatened to erupt from the slow bubbling agony rising from the depths of her being. Distress quaked and she gasped on the stuttering inhale of shock until she had no choice but to exhale. The second she did, hot lightning struck from her dislocated shoulder down to her collapsing wrist and brought forth every fathomable feeling known to man. Instantaneously, her face scrunched in helplessness, and Meryn's lips tore apart unleashing the built-up vibration of her cords.  
  
"Th--a-AGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHhhh!!!"  
  
The scream belted out on her panicking exhale lighting the air ablaze with fiery gut-wrenching pain. She sniveled dropping to her knees being dragged through the sand, writhing and bucking, pulled by the handicapped appendage like nothing. The flailing only made things worse, and she jumped at each additional affliction as if she were being burned alive on a skillet. Dirtied by the sand and stricken with terror, Meryn felt every bit of her displaced shoulder blade scraping the socket from which it came. "KGHHhhHH!!", came in bursts; hideous shrieks and strained grunts. But it meant nothing, Cyborg Noodle went blank and decidedly gave away her consciousness. The howls of someone who did her no wrong were much too heavy to bear. Zombie-like and disconnected from reality, she marched the woman gone mad across the remaining distance to the vessel. Messy hair flinging everywhere and long legs kicking in urgency, Meryn was dragged aboard by the crushing power of the mechanical hand.  
  
**Crack.**  
  
"AHGGGHGHHHH!", screeched out into the night air. Her wrist crackled under unyielding pressure, and she let out a blood-curdling shriek succumbing to being a weakened heap in the wooden floorboards. Meryn's weigh collided with the flooring and she yelped sobbing an ugly plea. "HEee--hHELlllPMeeee!", screeched and howled from her labored tired lungs. A hoarse sniveling wretch sounded as she clenched her teeth with her damp cheek against the boards. Hacking and coughing, an unholy grunt bellowed from strained vocal cords. The taste of iron in her mouth and the lining of her voice box scratchy, she turned over onto her back staring up at the starry sky a mess of a person. The cyborg yanked at her arm once more gliding her weakened state across the flooring and into the charging room. Through puffy cocoa eyes, Meryn looked to the artificial human and saw nothing on her face. At this point, even having the face of Noodle did nothing to lessen the pain. Just like that, she had been captured. Without a clue what had sparked this change. Lip quivering, she hummed to herself, backing into the far corner. Arm held out awkwardly, and her hand hanging flimsily from her afflicted wrist, she closed her eyes and traveled back to a better place.  
  
_"What're you cryin' about Meryn?! Toughen up!", shouted at her despite her current state. She whimpered, peeking through teary eyes to the exasperated familiar voice. "Look at her...", another voice said with a heavy heart,"She's doing the best she can..." Pitying eyes looked down on her, and the pair exchanged looks of concern. They knelt down before her wearing those nostalgic expressions. Her mother, a slightly pained frown fighting back tears. Her father, smiling warmly with the corner of his mouth twitching in anguish. "Marisol", her father said fondly pushing raven strands of hair behind his wife's ear,"Don't take it out on her." The older woman looked away shrugging off her husband's words,"Yeah yeah, I know that." Her mother sighed and came forward wrapping around her shivering daughter. Meryn swallowed hard the painful lump in her throat and shut her eyes at the second presence engulfing them both in a loving embrace. "I'm sorry sweetheart", her mother trembled being careful not to worsen the pain,"I wish we could have been there--" She swallowed the sorrow of a parent seeing their child this way. "You know I would have had your back", she sniffled into Meryn's messy locks. "There was no way we could know", Aaron chimed in woefully,"If we could go back to that day, and spend the whole day with you, Sol, and Terra we would."_  
  
_"I told you those punk ass college kids were gonna kill someone driving through Decatur like that...", Marisol grumbled vengefully. "Oh Mari...", Aaron sighed,"Don't get worked up over things we can't change. Besides, I want to focus on what really matters." He chuckled gently patting Meryn's back,"Our little girl isn't so little anymore...And she's been dealt a lot of bad hands--"_  
  
_"No fucking kidding", her mother barked,"I could kill Terra for how she treated you the second I was gone!" She vibrated with anger," And that baby dick boyfriend of hers can get chopped the fuck up--Mazafakku--"_  
  
_"Alright alright, calm down...", the comforting voice of her dad cooed,"I don't want to think about that.....person." He sighed holding back the true word he wanted to say, and focused on what was most important," Meryn, you grew up to be a beautiful young woman and it hurts to see you like this...It's weird, the last time I saw you, you were 8 years old. And now you're days away from turning 24...It's a shock seeing you now but I couldn't be more proud."_  
  
_"Ne, it's ironic isn't it?", mom said tenderly,"I went into labor by the ocean, we named her for the sea, and here were are on the coast." She snickered for a moment but went silent soon after. It was odd and unheard of for her mother to be anything but brash or blunt. A slight feeling, much like tears tapped on Meryn's shoulders. "I'm sorry--I'm so sorry", she cried,"I wish I could've been a better mommy to you..." Sniffling, she drew back to get a good look at her youngest child,"Ahaha. You look just like me with this sunburn you've got..." A finger coiled around the loose violet locks vining down Meryn's back and she chuckled,"Purple huh? You pull it off, baby..." The permanent frown on Meryn's face twitched and she looked away bashfully._  
  
_"Hey sweetie, do mommy a favor mmkay?"_  
  
_Meryn looked the both of them in the eye. Both their faces as she remembered them. "Try to get along with you sister kay?", her mother croaked getting choked up,"Now that...your brother is gone, at least keep up with Terra for me. You and she are all that's left of our little family." The strong golden woman smiled wide, and her other half peered amicably over her shoulder. Slowly but surely, Meryn nodded unable to see them any longer through the blurring tears. "We love you", they said tenderly, and she shut her eyes wrenching her head away._  
  
"I love you too."  
  
The silent cyborg closed the door, leaving the disheveled woman in total darkness, and marched off to the last task. Jumping from the deck to the sand, she came eye to eye with him. The reason for everyone's misery. Green skin as clammy as ever and a smug look on his tipsy face, Murdoc rejoiced ignorantly,"Didja manage with that extra oomph I gave you?" He stood holding a half-empty bottle of rum in one hand, in the other was the source of the cyborg's freedom. A small rectangular remote device had such an impact in the life that had been snatched away from her. Something within made the cyborg's circuits fry, something never experienced before. Blinking to consciousness, an immediate clear expression surfaced on the face of the false Noodle. "Hm", Murdoc grunted,"What's that face for hm?"   
  
The face of rage.  
  
Without warning, the cyborg flung herself at the man scaring the living hell out of the Gorillaz mastermind. His eyes went wide in the face of certain death and Murdoc stumbled backward onto the sand. His feet shuffling, and backing away, he looked in shock at the looming teen with a crazed glint in her green orbs. An unkempt, overgrown nail stabbed into the remote pad and Cyborg Noodle's body went stiff. A moment later, it faceplanted into the sand and Murdoc was able to breathe easy. "Sweet Satan what the bloody hell was that about?!", he said sighing and groaning in relief,"The manufacturers said their robots were Disney-movie-trope proof!" Standing up, he dusted off his trousers and knelt before the little bot. "There's no time to send you in for maintenance and the warranty isn't shit anymore...", grumbling to himself, he loosened the screws of its head and opened up the control center. "Ah well...", Murdoc groaned pressing the small indentation marked 'reset' with the point of his fingernail,"A quick fix will have to do."  
  
The life that the cyborg had tried to build was in that moment erased. Every bit of humanity gained was forgotten at the simple press of a button. The body shut down and individual she wanted to be, became a false memory, forever out of grasp. "Hm what's this?", Murdoc leaned forward squinting at the necklace tied around her neck. He nearly laughed out loud at the Christian icon and unfastened it from her neck. Shaking his head, he tossed it aside and stood up straight. Dragging the body of the sleeping robot to the sailboat he and Meryn traveled to wonderful garbage island that was Plastic Beach, his old rotten heart warmed with sweet memories. "Ah right", he perked up in front of the door to the onboard charging station,"Forgot to ask where it put Ryn." Turning the knob, he kicked the door open with his heavy duty boot and flicked the light switch. It took a moment to process what he saw sitting in the corner, but when he did, the little smile melted away.  
  
She opened her eyes and saw him standing there with the limp body of the android hanging from her forearm. The last time either of them had seen each other was when they fought just over a month ago. Murdoc hardened his gaze and tended to setting up the cyborg to its wiring. That one glance was reason enough to avert his eyes as long as possible. Plugging in the amnesiac piece of hardware, he sighed,"You don't look so good Ryn." No response. Grasping the cords and multicolored wiring, he kept his focus on the body of his Noodle replacement. "Wondering how or when I got here?", he asked making piss poor conversation. Still, there was no response. "I caught up with your old friend Ruri back in the UK, and that old flame of yours", he prattled on ignoring the guilt of bringing chaos to her life,"Ruri, she um said she was getting a lot of missed calls from Chile the whole time she was in my bed, and well...I'm not stupid." Murdoc stood the cyborg upright on her stand and locked her into place. For a moment, he couldn't muster up the gall to look Meryn in the eye. Still, his rickety legs took him there regardless of his inability to face her. Kneeling in front of her, his brown and red-eye observed the physical state of his pet. All broken and in tatters.  
  
"You dislocated your shoulder hm?", he mumbled guessing how things wound up this way. "You're in need of some medical attention...", Murdoc glanced at her wrist and swallowed his shame, focusing on her blank stare. He was caught dead in her misty eyes and remained less than a foot away from her. "You're a little worse for wear but still the apple of my eye", he spoke low leaning forward into her personal space. The closer he got, the smell of Newport cigarettes clung to his nostrils. "This'll hurt a lot", he said plainly with a hand on her forearm. Quickly yanking the limb, the bone popped out and was forced back into its socket. "aaAAAHHHH!!", a piercing scream sounded sending vibrations through the air, and she bucked forward at the man paying close attention to her injured arm. "Easy now!", he warned with a firm grasp on her unafflicted shoulder,"Don't squirm so much!" Meryn huffed and puffed, griping in contempt. His touch was foreign, unwelcomed, and resented. She fought against his aid jerking away without uttering a word. "Oy-OY-HEY!", Murdoc shouted pushing her back against the wall with a thud,"Sit still! I'm trying to help you!"  
  
Meryn froze and quieted, communicating through glares. The green man just a few faithful inches away momentarily eyed her with curiosity. Before he knew it, he was leaning in unable to escape her hateful brown eyes. Murdoc furrowed his brows reflecting hatred back at her and grasped a wad of tussled locks, tilting her head to the side, he smirked shamelessly lessening the distance between her tightly wound mouth and his own. She tensed up and didn't return it, she didn't even close her eyes. "Hmmm", Murdoc hummed against her straight lips, not particularly caring that she had no interest and made no attempt to play along. Still, it was oddly pleasant to him, being the closest he'd ever get to bedding her no doubt. He pulled away and stared back at her, heavy-lidded and guilty. "Now I see what's got 2D craving you all hours of the day...", he flirted with little consideration of her disgust. "Soft lips you've got Ryn", he smirked and stood up from where he knelt,"Even though you sewed your trap shut." Meryn shook her head slightly and gasped for air, having held her breath the entirety of the lip contact. Shakily lifting her arm, sharp pain traveled from socket to wrist, but at least she could move it. Sitting the limb in her lap, she refused to look up at him and looked past him to the cyborg instead. "Your dainty little wrist will have to wait until we get back to Plastic Beach, can't have you making a scene at one of the clinics here... I'll have a real medic met us there and we can get you fixed up in a cast or a sling--I call dibs on being the first one to sign though."  
  
He didn't say anything more but lingered in the small room for a moment before turning for the door. Murdoc stepped out and closed the door, locking her in from the outside. Meryn's face stayed in ongoing disgust, she wiped her mouth and spat at the door slumping against the wall,"Fucker."

* * *

  
2D sighed heavily, waking from his 12-hour long slumber. It wasn't the best rest of his life, but it was necessary to deal with the constant happenings of his life. Especially now. Holding his head, he rose from the mattress like a vampire locked away in a coffin and narrowed his eyes gazing out the window. "S'nioght time...", he said to himself and turned his head to inspect the hotel room. Just as he'd last seen it, but missing all the inhabitants from earlier. Yawning, he kicked his lengthy legs from underneath the comforter and over the edge. The very second his bare feet touched the shabby carpet, 2D lowered his head in guilt. The last time he'd seen her, she looked quite heartbroken with those swelling almond eyes of hers. And now, so many hours later, there was no telling what became of her. Looking up from his shame, 2D eyed his old cell phone and reached for the device with a heavy heart. Opening up Skype, he selected her name and cowered a bit with his thumb hovering over the call symbol. "Mmkay, here goes", he said firmly, psyching himself up for the possibility of being yelled at and boldly pressed on. For a moment there was silence, then the ringing of a Skype call coming from two sources. With a single thick brow rising in confusion, he stood up, following the sound echoing from the bathroom.  
  
"Kat?", he hesitated with a light knock on the door,"Yew in there?"  
  
He swallowed hard with his hand clenching the cool metal knob and stepped inside to find no one was there. Meryn's phone buzzed noisily on the countertop where she left it some hours ago. He bit his lower lip and began to panic. Shivering with worry 2D quickly dressed himself stepping into the discarded pair of jeans he'd neglected to pick up off the floor in lieu of last night sexcapades. With the tug of his front zipper and throwing any old shirt overhead, he barely stepped into his shoes, standing on the backs in too much of a hurry to consider putting them on properly. Snatching her phone from the bathroom surface he bolted out of the room tripping over his feet as the door swung to a close behind him.   
  
Walking the coastline, black eyes searched the crowd of tourists for the familiar sight of his problematic but dear girlfriend. In the very least he'd like to find Cyborg Noodle or the acquaintance of last night roaming around, as a sort of last resort to finding her. 2D fidgeted in place carefully examining the thinned out crowd for her unmistakable pajama wearing form. But there was no one quite like her. Nearly half an hour passed by of fruitless roaming. He nervously picked at his lip and started off in the direction of the huge brand name hotel featured on the news earlier in the day. His head turning on its axis surveying the area, there was still no one that he recognized. However, plenty of people varying and age recognized who he was. Numerous young women gave him a second glance and upon realizing who he was, they did what the rest of his admirers did. Fawning over him, calling his names both given and earned, whatever it took to get his attention. 2D awkwardly smiled displaying the wide gap up front and center. “Um”, he said trying to be as polite as possible,”Now’s nawt tha’ tiome...I’m sort’f busy?” But they had their own agenda and thought very little about doing anything but kissing up to a world-renowned celebrity.  
  
An ocean of girls and women surrounded him and he stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of their calls for his attention. “Hey!”, one of the more aggressive women said,”Are you dating anyone right now?” he struggled to answer that even knowing what he promised just a day ago, but he hoped it was just old habits dying hard. “ actually I sort of am”, he said under pressure backing away from now disappointed fans of his. “Who are you?”, came sternly from behind and 2D nearly jumped out of his skin at the intimidating base of a man. but when he turned around, just a couple inches lower in height, he saw the face of someone familiar. “Oh erm...It’s Sam rioght?”, he asked sheepishly, somewhat thankful that he’d shown up and demanded his attention. “ And who are you? Who are you really?”, Sam narrowed his eyes into slits. “I’m 2D”, the graceless frontman answered honestly,”I wasn’t lyin’ bout tha’...”  
  
“Earlier, you acted like I was supposed to know who you are. Are you famous or some kind of...obscure model?”, the young adult male seemed a little exasperated, crossing his arms tightly at his chest with grains of sand in his deep auburn hair. “A model??”, running a hand through his hair, 2D uncomfortably shifted from leg to leg.  
  
“You and your manic panic girlfriend were nice enough to let me stay the night and I really appreciate it, but I'd appreciate it more if you filled me in .”  
  
“Manic Panic?”  
  
“The hair dye, but that’s beside the point”, Sam groaned pressing his fingers to his temples in impatience. “First off, I’ll have yew know, this is moi natural colour mate”, 2D developed kind of an attitude, crossing his arms to mirror the aggressor making all kind of assumptions,”And second, I’m not lyin’ t’yew, tha’s moi name, 2-D.”  
  
“Well that makes you dedicated to one thing at least”, Sam spoke under his breath, finding the skinny scarecrow before him annoying all of a sudden. A blocky brow rose on his face, and it seemed that he’d heard the comment,”What’re yew gettin’ at?”  
  
“I’ll tell you”, Sam boldly declared,”I had to do your work for you.”  
  
“What’re yew--?”  
  
“I don’t know Meryn, I just met her but even knowing her for half a day, I can tell that you don’t care half as much as she does about you.”  
  
2D furrowed his brows and turned his head in avoidance of the observation made.  
  
“If you did, you would’ve been up looking for her like I did--”  
  
Now it was his turn to cut him off. “Yer awfully attached to her aren’t yew, f’someone tha’ jus met her? Got sum kind of one-sided crush tha’s makin’ yew jelly?”  
  
“No, that’s the thing. I’m not attached to her, I don’t know her, but I still cared more than you. Don't you feel...wrong about that?”  
  
The two men stood on edge before each other, making sour the atmosphere. “Hmph”, 2D grumbled, with his lips in a pout,”Lemme ask yew one fing before yew piss off, where’d you last see Kat--I mean, Meryn?”  
  
Sam half smiled in disbelief. He shook his head backing away, and snickered,”Fuck you.”  
  
Black orbs narrowed into a glare,”...Yew too mate, but are ya gonna tell me or not?”  
  
“She was further down the beach from here, a few hours ago…”, Sam answered hurriedly putting his balled fists into his pockets. 2D scratched his nose, stepping out of the way,”And tha’ Cyborg Noodle?” Shaking his head, the man a little over a decade 2D’s junior, refrained from responding negatively or punching him in his stereotypically British teeth. “She walked off in that direction about 30 minutes ago.”  
  
“Fhanks”, the odd-looking man mumbled under his breath, with that god awful cockney drawl. Holding back the urge to say anything more, Sam simply nodded and brushed past the scrawny bodied man with disrespect. The one called 2D looked over his shoulder somewhat distraught at the ongoing confrontation, but never the less in a foul mood after the words exchanged,”Tosser.”  
  
Walking off on his own, he scowled at the nerve. Someone who didn’t know him at all accusing him of something so personal. It was none of his business, even if Sam’s harsh words came from a good-hearted place, 2D wanted no part of being lectured by some guy he'd just met when he already knew everything that fell from his mouth. Shrugging off the bad karma and the sickening taste in his mouth, he reached into his back pocket, retrieving a single cigarette from a fresh carton. Like clockwork, he brought the cancer stick to his lips and flicked his lighter to life. Pocketing the lighter, he occupied himself with simple inhale and exhale of his deliciously addictive bad habit.  
  
An arm suddenly wrapped around him and tossed over his unexpecting shoulder. 2D grimaced shooting a glare to the judgment of the young man, ready to unleash his own version of hell to the persistent pest, but the resolve to give a piece of his heavily medicated mind dwindled and died off when his dark baggy eyes landed on someone else entirely.  
  
“Well old buddy”, Murdoc started nonchalantly digging into his frontman’s back pocket for a cigarette to help himself to,”Did you have a good time on your little vacay?” 2D froze and an unholy chill traveled up his spine. Like a deer in headlights with his voids in perfect buggy circles, he was caught. Patting his back with a heavy hand, Murdoc cackled to himself, very much enjoying the upper hand,”Light me up would you?” He gulped, and retrieved the lighter once more at the first command, and nervously flicked the trigger until the sparks became a consistent flame. Leaning into the heat, Murdoc blew a plume of smoke directly into the poor man’s defeated face. “Come along, Ryn and the cyborg are all packed up”, with his arm looped around 2D’s neck, he gladly led him to his imprisonment.  
  
“I went to the little hotel you were staying in, gathered your shit, and canceled the bird’s debit card--The fraud tip-You know expenses outside the country-All that--”, waving his free hand about dismissively, he leaned into an oddly friendly side hug with his favorite punching bag,”I even got the pills prescribed from dear old Rachel back home...Just the few that I did see, so don’t get your hopes up.”  
  
2D gulped being shoved aboard the vessel and staggered forward halfway onto the ship,”Why’re yew bein’ noice t’me? And where’s Meryn?” The eyes of a human who sold his soul to the Devil raddled in his head beneath greasy black hair,”Just get on the damn boat you tit.” Pushing past the finicky front man, Murdoc turned the knob to the cyborg control room and strolled inside with Meryn’s belongings in hand. Just before boarding, 2D spotted something in the sand, he looked back and forth cautiously between the ajar door and what looked like a handmade necklace and made a split decision. Snatching it from the sand, he quickly dusted off the chord and pocketed the object.  
  
“HEY!”  
  
“YES!”, 2D jumped to attention a bundle of nerves and scuttled on deck. Again Murdoc rolled his eyes and grumbled something under his breath whilst winding up several ropes for departure. Black lacquer eyes fell on the small form sitting near his feet and didn’t quite recognize who it was at first glance. But in another moment, his lips parted and 2D’s mouth hung open. “...Kat?”, he whispered stepping closer to the balled up body on the wooden boards. Long legs wavered before her, and he dropped to a knee. Leaning in, his abnormally long fingers pushed aside her dirtied sandy hair to see a very distant woman. Opening his mouth to speak, he paused with no idea what to say. Half a day had come and gone. And in that time, she became...this. Half turning his body for an explanation, 2D stared daggers at Murdoc. “Something you want to say?”, the green man spoke up with no need to turn around. Hand flinching, he stood up wanting a legitimate answer, boldly walking himself over to their busy captor,“...Wha’d yew do t’her?”  
  
“Me?”, Murdoc chortled walking the remaining distance that the blue-haired man hadn’t the gall to do. “Well”, the living corpse said easily stopping short of 2D,”I took control and accomplished two things; one, I fixed Meryn’s dislocated shoulder and two, I planted one on her.” At that, an odd atmosphere took over to be followed by the silent glare of a less than happy front man. “What’s that face 2D?”, he smirked,” Don’t tell me you’re mad at me, you’re the one who left her up for grabs--Hell, I just got here, and already I’ve done more than you could.”  
  
**Thwack.**  
  
2D’s fist trembled, held out from a strike he didn’t think he had in him.  
  
Murdoc’s head remained turned, rubbing his swelling jaw for a brief moment. For the little period of time, he considered the new livid look is beloved prize wore. The fact that he continuously butted into 2D’s relationships had rubbed him the wrong way over the years. Clearly. But still.  
  
**SMACK**  
  
A thunderclap backhanded the much taller man without a second thought and struck 2D to the ground. He landed face first against the splintering wood and clenched his teeth with a hiss. Where he fell, just before the unmoving body of his girlfriend, he found it hard to look at her for just a second, before his starless space eyes longed for some sort of reaction to the green man’s claims. Anything would do. “Pick yourself up face-ache and think before you accuse her of something stupid”, Murdoc sighed downing the rest of the rum in his nautical themed flask,”That’s still our little hell raiser.”  
  
“M-Meryn”, 2D blubbered a bit, sitting up straight,”Are you...gonna be O.K.?”  
  
He took her good hand, lacing fingers with own, but she quickly snatched her hand away leaving her lover burned and embarrassed. She looked elsewhere, anywhere but forward. For the time being, that warm feeling whenever she saw his face was gone and replaced with a heartache only to be cured with time. “I love yew”, 2D whimpered holding his rejected hand to his chest with a pained expression. “Uh huh”, Meryn rasped tilting her head back for the night sky.  
  
“Chin up you two”, Murdoc droned lifelessly turning the key, and bringing the motor to a low hum,”We’ll be back home before you know it.”  
  
The boat took off away from the dimly lit dock away from the hustle and bustle of lively tourists. The auburn young man watched the bizarre happenings that continued to follow these people from a safe distance. Although he didn’t spot Meryn where she sat on the floor, and the cyborg who’d imprinted on him was enclosed in the small lit room; he’d definitely seen 2D and some man he’d never met exchange blows. Clenching the torn piece of notebook paper given to him earlier, Sam unraveled the folded message Meryn entrusted him with and squinted to read the contact information hastily written.  
  
**(404)-XXX-XXXX**  
**Terra Jakes in Atlanta, GA, USA**  
  
**Just mention my name, and tell her where you last saw me.**  
**Thanks,**  
**Meryn Jakes**  
  
It was a crazy ride, the entirety of this trip complete and utter madness. He’d be going back alone, but he was just glad to be going back at all. The ocean breeze whistled in his ears, and he stood up, stuffing the note his pocket for safe keeping. He sauntered off to return to his own hotel room and wasn’t particularly upset that he’d have the room to himself. “Meryn Jakes huh?”, he thought out loud to himself, “It’ll be the first thing I do when I get back.”  
  
  
  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where I get all emotional and choked up. It's weird thinking a full year ago I started writing this, and now 60 chapters later I've truly reaped the benefits. Some people have said that it helps them with their own lives, and others just like the ride, but whatever reason people have to continue keeping up with my long ass novel, I'm really grateful. Seriously. Thank you all. 
> 
> I was pregnant last year and my boyfriend and I weren't equipped to take care of him or her. I've wanted to be a mom since I miscarried at 19, and obsessed over what that life would be like, only to ironically terminate what I thought would give me a new purpose. I saw the ultrasound, and I shouldn't have looked. When I woke up, some girls were crying while others just sat sort of stunned. I held in the urge to cry until I was alone, and the second I was it didn't stop for hours. I started drinking at all hours of the day, I didn't care about anything anymore, I started cutting again, and sort of died inside. 
> 
> My boyfriend was very supportive of my choice although I know it hurt him as well. He nagged me about the Gorillaz come back, to which I had no interest and only knew of two songs. Listened to Saturnz Barz, thought it was meh. Flash forward one week and I'm sitting in my room reading the Wiki trying to understand who the hell 2-D and Noodle are because they aren't real fuckin' names lol. 2D is such a sweetie, I developed a dumb crush on him and wanted to protect his poor bony butt. 
> 
> The boyfriend now hates 2D. I am so sorry Antwan. :P
> 
> Meryn was one of the names I was considering when we were hopeful, I think I wanted to give her life in some kind of way, and I grew to think of her as an extension of myself. It all just became something that I never expected, and now I'm crying lmao. I'm just thankful. I'll update again as soon as possible. Thank you all for reading, and thank you, Antwan, for supporting me throughout everything. I love you.
> 
> Michelle♡


	61. Empty Shell

Early April 2011  
  
  
It was quiet, too quiet.   
  
Everything and everyone was left in shambles since their capture. Meryn's birthday had come and gone, just another day held captive with a slice of cake thrown down the chute of the space she shared. It was a nice enough gesture from Murdoc, despite the explosion of icing and bready chunks that splattered everywhere. Since they'd returned, she'd said almost nothing to anyone. The green man attempted to make conversation, while the tied up nurse he obviously abducted did her best to work on Meryn's broken wrist with limited materials. Apparently, the green man was quite skilled in fixing injuries of her caliber, as the partial dislocation was pushed back into its socket without making things worse. Fixing small injuries or sewing up open wounds; it made sense, considering all the trouble he often found himself in.   
  
The distal fracture had ensured a speedy recovery, and once the cast was placed, the six weeks went by quickly.  
  
As the finishing touches were put on the album, Meryn spent treasured time alone. Away from both factors and the trouble they caused, she was left alone to deal with her own. The Boogieman hadn't made an appearance since that night back in mid- February. As she lay on her side in the dually owned twin bed, she eyed the hands that clenched the demon's throat, that did the impossible. Her madness; chaotic and desperate enough to have a physical grasp on the intangible. It was all in her head, holding her hostage much like Murdoc confining her to this underwater cell. But soon after arriving back in her shared prison cell, it stopped. The nightmares went away, her young soul hadn't resurfaced and the deaths stopped replaying in her mind. She was left alone, finally. Away from humanity again, just the way she liked it. All, but _him_.  
  
Normally, _he_ would be someone who radically changed her life. Someone whose worth couldn't be salvaged, and interchangeable with any of the men who haunted her, but this time  _he_ was nothing like the others. The other men stood in a line, guilty of terrible crimes. Terra's boyfriend, the cousins she hadn't seen for more than a decade, the Hokkaido school boys who bullied her for the color of her skin, a false friend, even her own beloved brother--  
  
Meryn quickly shook her head abruptly sitting up in a panic. With her almond-shaped eyes shut tight, she shuddered at the memories. Each shake of the head erased the betrayals of her life, and the one confusing mistake. "Hah...", she panted swallowing rising nausea and the pained lump in her throat. No. Nononono. They were nothing like _him_. This one stood alone on a completely different fault than the others. At the moment, the man lucky enough to be _him_ was returning from a final recording session. He silently entered the cell, closing the heavy metal door behind him. With a low thud and a click indicating the confinement of two numb individuals, the room resumed the low decibel frequency of shifting metal creaks in the ocean current. 2D said nothing. His lanky form hunched forward and his spirits at an all-time low, there was nothing he could say that'd make any of it come back to life. A low sigh sounded from behind, where Meryn remained sitting upright in bed. Two obsidian orbs stared holes into her back sending chills up her spine, even as he kicked the shoes off his feet and sent them skittering across the shabby carpet. Meryn's shoulders fell from their height and she held her head, peeking between the webbing of her fingers to the mostly healed wrist placed carefully in her lap.   
  
The sound of a zipper and the unfastening jingle of his belt continued from across the room and ended with the plummet of his jeans to the floor.    
  
_**crunch crunch** **scrunch**_  
  
2D scratched the stubble on his chin closing in from behind. He stopped directly behind her, despite the wall she put up to keep him at bay his large hand came down gently on her right shoulder. Long fingers caressed the rounded form, gliding over the skin returning to its original shade. The tan she'd gotten receded ever so slowly back to sandy brown with golden undertones emerging from the appearance changing sunburn and twinking respectively as they did. She didn't move a muscle and remained statuesque. The only proof of life being shallow breaths and the distant heartbeat beneath her bones. His olive toned beige hand roamed from shoulder to shoulder pushing bundles of wavy hair forward to drape over Meryn's blooming bosom. Suddenly, he stopped with fingers wrapping around her throat and his thumb held down against her spinal column. By her side, he sat releasing the pressure of his hold and letting the hand plop between two bent stilt-like legs. Hunched forward in a bad posture, his own shoulders fell with listlessness with his head falling soon. Head hung, and his bold blue hair swinging forth to cover his sunken eyes, he mumbled a question in his mind,"How's yer arm, Kat?"  
  
She didn't respond.  
  
"Tha's gud", he answered to no one, pivoting his head on its axis to view her ongoing distant state. She hadn't been herself since they returned, or showed any signs that she was Meryn at all. No dry humored jokes, no cutesy behavior, no light in her eyes. A small nostalgic smile appeared on his thin lips, remembering how welcomed he felt returning to their solitary quarters. Always happy to see him, beckoning him with her scantily clad backside or shaking her hips from side to side to the tune of alternative 90s tunes. He'd sing to her every once and a while, and when he did she melted like the rest of the girls lucky enough to hear it but in her own way. Instead of screaming or gleefully bouncing around like a fangirl, his lover would fight off a wide grin and look at him with mystified brown orbs like he was the answer to all her problems. They used to warm him, the way her eyes smiled and gave away just how dependent she was on him. But such a dependence is useless in the hands of someone so clumsy and uncertain.   
  
Now, she was gone, on an extended vacation with no sign of returning anytime soon.   
  
2D bit his lip, with both hands clenching his knees, he kept his starless eyes forward away from her painful visage until his vision became blurry. His own length appendages became a Picasso painting in lieu of tears threatening to overflow. He was exhausted with everything, with life itself, and it seemed their lives truly were unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Murdoc used him for his talent, just as he'd used Meryn to fill the void, ironically filling her own with his manhood and weightless words of ardor. Dark eyes shut tight, and droplets fell on his ultra-thin blue haired legs. "H-Hnmph", he sniffled quickly wiping his eyes as they fell. A low vibration shook him to his core, shaking the surface they sat upon with trembling cries. He leaned on her empty form, tilting his head to rest against her shoulder, simply succumbing to the hopelessness in which they found themselves. His weight wasn't held, Meryn's form flopped over onto the bed almost taking him with her.  
  
Not that it'd matter if it did.  
  
As far as she was concerned, his lack of interest in her while she was struggling and the threat of leaving her behind like the defective plaything couldn't be forgotten. The bed shook on impact with her landing on her healing shoulder and wrist. The sorrowful man flinched half broken-hearted and half scared of breaking her. His hands came out trembling without a second thought staggering above her motionless body before clasping over his ajar crooked mouth. 2D turned away sniveling with tears streaming down his face. He sniffed the drooping snot back up and tried to compose himself. He wasn't there for her when she needed him, it was as if that opportunity had passed and he was left with this shell of a person to guilt him without ever uttering any words. Now, he was even less clear of love, as his declarations had failed to be followed by an action that would prove it once and for all.   
  
He cried and clenched his imperfect teeth as a last resort to hold himself together. All the while Meryn said nothing. Her silence hurt the most.  
  
Woefully, 2D pulled himself onto the bed and laid down beside her. His legs curled up to his chest and his head inches away from her breasts. He sniffled and sighed until there was nothing left to mourn. She hadn't broken up with him after all or resisted his touch. The month and a half following their return were sexless and eerily quiet. Now face to face with her rising and falling mounds, he wanted so badly to touch her. Carefully, he tested the waters shimmying close to her staring at the pair of flesh he hadn't experienced in some time. When she didn't react, he closed his eyes burying his face into the echo chambers of her chest. The heartbeat thumping beyond her skin steadily beat against his nose, reminding him that she was indeed alive. 2D breathed deep her scent, her warmth, her essence. He came up for air, keeping his eyes forward on the enticing mounds and afraid of looking up to see what expression she wore if there was an expression at all.  
  
The tears dried on his cheeks and the little wet spot he made with his cheek pressed against the sheets began to fade. Numb and melancholic, his fingers tugged at the fabric lining her chest, peering into the cleavage within. He came forth again pressing his lips to the pair where they met and released them from their binds. The flimsy tank was yanked revealing her feminine bits. Two small and rosy peaks stuck out brushing against his skin as he nuzzled in between. Heavy-lidded and somber, with only his arousal to keep him from collapsing in on himself, 2D parted his lips taking the left into his mouth, then the right and repeating the suckle. He came closer, tilting his head tenderly and helping himself to a handful for toying. Meryn's breathing shifted and became faster. The rising and falling of her chest quickening as he went along. The lanky body of the man pressed against her own, his stomach to her lower half. His other hand became occupied soon after sliding into her underwear to be warmed instantly. His index and middle finger glided over her warm slit and parted the flesh that held her vessel within. "Please", he mumbled with his mouth full of breast,"I don't wan' t'be alone."  
  
She swallowed, all of a sudden breathing deeply. That single noise being the first thing he heard from her other than breathing the past weeks. Before, all she'd do was whimper or sniffle at the pain. A sigh or so in her sleep with the occasional mumble of something incoherent. Meryn sighed clearing her throat of the cobwebs from the extended silence.  It acted as a cue for him to be opportunistic and get whatever he could out of her. 2D found the courage to act. Swiftly picking himself up from her side, he turned her on her back, all the while refraining from seeing the death in her eyes. Seeing only her body, he climbed atop her form trailing downward with his sights set on making the both of them feel something. Anything. Balled fists snatched panties from her hips and 2D maneuvered himself between her legs. From the parting of his briefs, he freed his tool in hopes of setting her free with what he had. Sex was all he had, even when it wasn't working, it was the best he could offer.   
  
In a single push, he was engulfed in a world of warmth. His eyes fluttered to stay open and he froze in place, holding them both steady. Meryn's chest rose in height and sank on a deep breath. Finally having the gall, his sight traveled up her body and landed on the somewhat detached expression she had. He didn't move an inch, content with being sheathed and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Their bodies met, middle to middle and trembled against each other in a struggle to lay still. She was distant, but aware, feeling every bit of him inside. Staring up at the orange colored ceiling, Meryn parted her lips, not knowing what it was she needed or wanted to say. Merely tilted her head, nestling against his spiky-haired head, licking her lips gone dry some time ago. To his delight she was responding, a little smile tugged at his mouth and he sighed in relief that he wasn't as alone as he feared. Both long arms wrapped around her body, coiling up and down her back, one hand in her hair, the other resting on her hip. He pulled his hips backward sliding out of her body partly, and smoothly pushed back in taking her breath away. She sighed into his hair, taking a fistful of cerulean blue locks in her grasp spur the moment. The man grumbled against the nape of her neck and sighed back repeating the smooth movements back and forth.  
  
"I need yew..."  
  
His voice trembled on those words, and a low rumble lined them as they drifted into her ear. Rising from her, he hovered above taking a moment to gaze into her softening orbs. She still looked quite sad, but it was a start. Slowly, his movements lengthened into deeper nudges at her anatomy. 2D's mouth wound up with a serious look in his black eyes. Lids lowered, he leaned forth nose to nose and watched the flinch of surprise in her eyes everytime he pressed into her. He shuddered furrowing his brows together feeling ecstasy rising in his gut. Kissable lips parted for a moment on a floaty sigh, it panted out against his own and beckoned him to make that connection. The speed quickened and his lids lowered even more into a dreamy daze, lips brushed against each other and pants came out in bursts echoing off each other. An inch apart, he could see the changing intensity on his features. Fighting the feeling with a pout but nevertheless in the same daze as he. As it turned out, he was beautiful even after crying, and the starless space eyes had a continual hold on her. Faster he went now breaking a bit of a sweat, but never breaking his stare. Tears welled up in her misting eyes and a shrill moan escaped into the small space between them. 2D clenched his hands in her hair, and along the small of Meryn's back. Her own rose from her sides and took place caressing his jaw or running fingers through his spiky mane.   
  
"a-aH", she sounded sweetly with a whimper. 2D half smiled, smirking through her affection and squeezed tight in a longing embrace. Meryn wrapped her legs around his waist and refused to let go, busy hands followed suit and the lovemaking sweetened. Hands in each other's hair and the others holding on for dear life. Hips rolled forward with nowhere to go but in her vessel. The both of them squeezed tighter. Her fingers trailing over his quivering lower lip in familiarity and threading through brilliant blue. "I missed yew", he whispered as she lightly pressed her lips to his. Laying atop her, his forehead tilted against hers and he rode the rest of the way gasping together with her in rising bliss.  
  
"Ah..."  
  
"...mmH"  
  
Blocky brows furrowed harshly together, and he strained against her bringing his voids to a close. Meryn whimpered straining back in a slow grind, at that a look of true bliss washed over his features and he began emoting enlightenment with a smile. She writhed against his body, held under his light but imposing weight, clenching her teeth and gasping in a squeaky whine. "D...", his name fluttered out from her lungs and put a wide grin on his face. For a moment his eyes bore open watching her come back to life with each aching thrust, and in the next, he was making a scrambled face with his forehead pressed harder against hers. "Gah-h", he gasped jerking forward with shaky breaths panting out in puffs. _He_ was cumming, filling her with second-hand rapture. The imperfect man that she loved so dearly breathing life into her with every sporadic shuddering thrust forward. Warmth and silky pressure washed over her like waves. Her lashes batted and fluttered from his bliss, in a moment she found her own basking in the warm waters of his release. The world came closing in around him, and 2D scoffed relaxing his face with his mouth hung open in awe. "Mmh ahn", Meryn gasped erratically, arching her back against his hold as she was left squirming against his body with her legs and toes flinching about.  
  
The hand rustling in his hair ran through and through, with the other claiming a firm grasp on his stubbled chin. Her thumb ran along the lining of his lip, and he looked back at her in a daze. His large hand on the back of her skull loosened its grip and trailed down her neck. His calloused thumb pressed against her jawline, and his eyes flickered to her soft parted lips. "Tell me the truth", the pair said flashing the small gap between her teeth. "Do you love me?", Meryn asked as he closed in. He answered in a whisper grazing over until he could take it no more, "Yes." Mouths melded together, fitting together like two pieces from the same puzzle. Neither of them desired to leave their safe haven, and decidedly remained joined together as one.

* * *

  
May 2011  
  
"Hnrph", Murdoc grumbled to himself looking over the circuit boards inside the cyborg's head. With little knowledge and know-how of such a complex machine, he continuously probed at mechanisms better left to an actual mechanic. Resetting the little robot back inland proved to be problematic, ever since Cyborg Noodle wasn't quite right. Commands were hounded out as usual, and she'd behave normally, going about different tasks as he drunkenly barked them. The Boogieman hadn't been spotted in some time according to the paroling reports. For the most part, it was all back to normal, except for the concerning ticks and seemingly abhorrent noises. Out of the corner of his eye, Murdoc watched the pair of prisoners go about their captive lives on screen. One of the many surveillance cameras in their underwater bunker always pointed at the bed, where they frequented for sex and much-needed rest. He'd heard and seen it hundreds of times before. The blue haired man above or below his broken partner, filling her with higher spirits and letting his own seep inside her.  
  
"D..."  
  
Meryn moaned lightly, her voice coming through the speakers with breathy smooth sighs. He could almost feel her, whispering in his ear with heated desire for her lover. 2D chuckled breaking the trance, bringing Murdoc back from indulging in the back of his mind. "Ugh", he grimaced, turning down the volume with a quick turn of the dial, "The guys always ruin it, I miss good quality porn."   
  
"aah! fuck!"  
  
A mousy shriek sounded even through the lowered volume, a sickeningly sweet utterance of her undeniable bliss. Murdoc smirked to himself, shifting backward in his recliner,"Now that's a good girl Ryn." Crusty fingers left the head of the robot, promptly closing the hatch to the inner mechanisms within. "Go on your patrol then", he commanded tapping the cyborg's head," And grab the idiot when you're done, they should be finished by then."  
  
The newly ignorant Cyborg Noodle cocked her head and stood at attention. A tug of her mouth revealed chattering false teeth. She saluted despite that and left him there alone with his personal vendetta. The recurring attraction to this young woman a near 20 years apart in age was as one-sided as it was pathetic. Even more pitiful was the fact that he had done this to himself, put these two in a cage together with the intent of keeping his pretty-boy occupied and providing himself with plenty of pornographic material simultaneously. Meryn was just caught in the middle, figuratively and literally. Leaning back and forth, the recliner creaked in tune with her muffled panting. Murdoc grinned devilishly to himself, with his canines digging into his lower lip. The surveillance was no longer a secret to her, and yet, she didn't bother to cover herself. The two went about their love life as they always had before. Every so often, her eyes drifted to the camera, she appeared to be looking right at him. Focused brown eyes staring him down all the while being brought higher and higher until she reached nirvana. If that wasn't enough to set his cells ablaze, Meryn might giggle or let out a sigh of relief, saying dirty things he never expected to hear her say.  
  
'I love it when you come inside me.'  
  
'You feel so good inside...'  
  
'Mff I love your cock.'  
  
'Choke me.'  
  
"Hnn", it sent chills down his crooked spine and sent blood rushing to a certain appendage. He didn't know if she was doing it on purpose, but 2D sure as hell was. In the middle of his sinful thoughts, the lacquer eyed stick man sat up repositioning her body onto her knees. Blank dark eyes narrowed into slits and a sheepish, shit-eating grin broke out across his pale face. Fingers ran through plentiful violet hair and grasped the strands at the natural colored roots. He pushed her forward towards the camera, fondly pushing strands behind her ear for a full view of her pretty face. Only pesky fringe stuck to forehead with sweat, and a few flyaways lined her cheeks. She looked dazed, but pretty satisfied nonetheless. A smirk tugged her quivering lips as her lover continued where he left off. Panting all the way through, her lids lowered into two almond shapes, and her mouth became completely ajar at the feeling being brought to her.  
  
Of all the faces he's seen her make, her "O" face was the most astounding, what a shame he'd never be the one causing it. The ancient twig between Murdoc's legs always perked up seeing her like this, but as it were, he was unable manually entertain the impossible. It was never a problem for any of the other women he'd sufficiently perved on, but with Meryn, it was problematic. Even accidentally grazing his own leg was enough to deflate his overused green extension. Through the lens, her brown eyes always seemed to be stuck on him. No matter which way she was guided or how 2D positioned her if she was facing the camera Murdoc couldn't defile her. "Hrmph", the green man rolled his eyes sitting up straight in his chair. He was beginning to wonder if 2D knew exclusively how to keep him at bay. The way the interviews and radio shows were going, Murdoc witnessed a definitive change in the blue-haired heart throb's personality. Still clouded and a bit clueless, but defensive and defiant at times. The last passive-aggressive input he had, became unteemed rage, and sent him jumping over the table at the mere mention of Paula Cracker. It was apparent that his "pets" were rebelling against him without actually trying to escape. It was as clear as the two forms panting in a heap on screen that they'd accepted their capture, and sought to cope with each other.  
  
Crash  
  
Murdoc jumped to attention kicking his feet off the recliner. "Of course", he grumbled adjusting the seafaring hat atop his greasy head, "Bloody fuckin' pirates." The encounter of several fighter jets and aeroplanes was gradual following their return. The first 2 weeks back was quiet but by the 3rd, explosions and rumbling resumed shaking the garbage island to its rotten core. At the rate things were going, Plastic Beach wouldn't make it through the fall. His gaze shifted to the screen, both captors had bleak expressions on their faces. Their underwater prison shook, but the pair couldn't have been less interested.   
  
"The pirates?", 2D mumbled against the mattress, drooped over her body from behind. Lanky arms wrapped around her and he nestled his face in her hair. Meryn mumbled back an answer, "Mmhm."   
  
As mundane as airborne attacks had become to the inhabitants of Plastic Beach, he wished it at least brought some sort of chaos. 2D flinched every so often, but Meryn wouldn't so much as bat an eye at this point. Very little of who she was before he'd lured her out to the middle of the Pacific remained, and left behind was an empty shell in her liking. Her reactions, mannerisms, and personality were snuffed out with time, but it seemed like more than Stockholm Syndrome had brought this one. She was eerily quiet, only responding to her cellmate with words, leaving Murdoc desperate for any utterance. She spent all day locked in her cell, even when he'd been so nice to grant her fresh air, she wordlessly declined. The Meryn he was used to would have something to say. Snark, defiance, jokes at his expense, and loaded threats; none of which had been heard since their fall out in January.  
  
It was becoming lonely.  
  
Murdoc shrugged it off, moreover dismissing what bothered him most. Popping a pipe between his chapped lips, he stuffed a hefty amount of tobacco into the bowl and quickly lit it ablaze as if to let it go with a deep lungful of smoke. "Phew", he sighed exhaling a pillar of smoke. His tongue licked the corners of his mouth, begrudgingly recalling the moment he'd worn his black heart on his sleeve and kissed her anguished lips. How ironic, it seemed to have taken her voice away. As Ruri had mentioned some time ago, forgiveness didn't come easily to Meryn and letting someone get the best of her was not an option. The woman of wrath breathed easy, her lashes fluttered as sleep began to take her. Brows furrowing slightly and her mouth in a perpetual pout, something about her was intriguing. Murdoc's gaze softened with a fondness, and his lids became heavy with nostalgia. For someone he was sure would be dreadfully boring those 5 years ago, showing up to his esteemed band jet lagged and obvious to their genius, Meryn turned out to be the most interesting young woman he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. Something about a cynical girl who could and would kick the shit out of him was too good to let go of. Perhaps that was why the image of her huddled on the floor of that boat was burned into his mismatched retinas. The rarity of her stunning form all broken, trembling, and sunburned, shook him to his rotten center. She refused to part her lips or reciprocate the twisted affection pressed against them but glared daggers of disdain. How could a person who'd given up still be so fearless? Something peculiar enabled her to be stone in hopelessness. Whether she was decking him in the face, breaking his finger, or howling in misery with a dislocated limb, she had the same cold distant look in her eyes.  
  
If looks could kill, he'd die happily.  
  
  
"H-HEY?!"  
  
The obnoxious speaking voice of his blue-haired cash cow bellowed through the speakers, breaking his trance. The sight of 2D being dragged off their shared bed in the nude by his feet sufficed for a pick-me-up. Cyborg Noodle's head cocked to the side and sparked at the twink bodied man sliding gracelessly off the edge with a thud. "Tch!", he winced gritting his teeth and rubbing his bony backside. Long legs and arms waved about as he was dragged across the carpet by the ankle. "OL'RIOGHT OL'RIOGHT!", he shouted hissing at the carpet burn, "Lemme put somefing on atleast!" The second he was released, 2D jerked away, picking himself up muttering incomprehensible gripes through his teeth.   
  
Meryn handed him his discarded jeans with a sigh. Her eyes narrowed and she averted any further eye contact with the cyborg. There was no one in there, no Noodle, no Cyborg. She regarded it another cruelty committed by thoughtless green hands and dissociated turning away from both falsehoods.  
  
"Oh, Ryn", Murdoc exhaled no longer finding the situation very funny. "Can't even react to all his spastic flailing anymore..." He thought to himself smirking at the idea come to mind, "When it's all said and done, I'll have to do something about that..."


	62. Winds of Fate

"Ugh...man..."  
  
A day in the life of a Murdoc-free life was left open to infinite possibilities. Skys the limit when an overbearing green bassist isn't trying to use you for your talents or off doing a multitude of illegal activities. Whenever the little green man was out of line, he was the one who had to clean up the mess. He was the responsible one so to say, putting up with the problems that had risen or offering a word of advice. The one that many proclaimed was the father or grandfather of Gorillaz was doomed to live a forever chaotic life as long as he was around them. The time apart was needed, and his location had thankfully remained uncompromised all these years since their breakup. He'd seen and heard of a new album in the works, often finding himself in between being insulted or thankful that Murdoc had replaced him with a drum machine. But as Russel sat in the back room of the small record store he'd been working in, he was somewhat happy to see his annoying bandmate's name again. Despite the fact that years ago, he'd made a separate folder for the simple-minded frontman and his tendency to flood Russel's inbox with dumb unimportant chatter, he regretted not checking the "spam" of his cluttered email.  
  
About 4 years of messages unloaded before his cloudy white eyes. Some coupons or offers here and there of restaurant deals, yelp reviews, and the like. But then there were the 30 from 2D and the one from a name he'd not seen in a long time. Hunched over sitting in the small swivel chair at his desk, Russel clicked from message to message skimming the many random things that 2D had to say or share. Yammering about his travels, mourning for Noodle, and the young woman they'd both parted ways with, it was all reminiscent of the blue-haired teen he met after being abducted in England. It almost brought a smile to his face, almost, only to be determined by the very next message opened up for view.  
  
Meryn, as avoidant and difficult as she was had decidedly reached out to him just last year.  
  
"Hmm", Russel grumbled in question squinting at the brightly lit screen. He sank in the chair far too small for him, and it creaked under his weight.   
  
  
Hey, it's Meryn. It's been awhile since we saw each other. You gave me your email and told me to message if I needed something back at Kong...And well, I don't like doing this but we need your help. 2D and I are being held hostage on this trash heap Murdoc calls "Plastic Beach", somewhere off the coast of Chile. I have no clue how far and it's basically my fault but if you get this please help. It's been a few weeks so far, and Murdoc's been dragging us around so he and D can work on the upcoming album. My number is inactive and we can't be called, but the dank hotel room I'm sitting in has wifi so there's that...You said you don't check your messages often but I had to try anyway, if you get this, please send help.  
  
Russel blinked a few times at what he'd just read, immediately clicking to the next message, and the most recent from 2D.  
  
A true cry for help, in every meaning of the word.  
  
It seemed that even after all these years apart, 2D still needed guidance in his love life. And as pathetic and pitiable as that was, Russel found himself smirking at who the subject of concern was. Despite that, one thing stuck out above everything else.  
  
"Noodle, she's...alive?"  
  
The surprise in his voice was soon replaced with a rasping utterance, "Muds never learns, does he...?" It didn't take very long to put it all together. In the time he spent avoiding everything Gorillaz, a lot had happened, and more interesting, the reason they broke up was actually alive somewhere. Russel stood suddenly, clenching his large fists and barely registering the small chair that toppled over behind him. 2D was always a little gullible and misinformed but news of a Cyborg Noodle meant to replace the one they'd all thought died was far too specific to be ignored. The El Manana incident always struck him as strange, Murdoc never reacted the way any of them had as if he'd known all along. Or even...that he'd planned the entire scenario himself. Russel didn't know what the goal was, but everything so far pointed to one person.  
  
"Murdoc."

* * *

  
"Achoo!", the green man sneezed rather hard and nosily wiped his nose grunting away in annoyance. "Fucking hell", Murdoc grumbled in complaint to himself, "First that sodding Gorillaz Tribute band takes another gig and now I'm coming down with a goddamn cold for fucks sake..." The last few performances were foiled again and again by the same scenario. Locked in room after room after room when he was supposed to be reaping the reward of all his pride and hard work. But every single time, he was denied the glory of having the worlds greatest band for himself and being its founder. "Hn...", he said sort of saddened slumping his shoulders, "Every time..." Shaking his greasy haired head, he occupied himself with packing up the remainder of equipment that went unused, only then noticing that he was alone. "What the--?", Murdoc exclaimed look around for his lost pets,"Where the bloody hell did those two go off to?" The cyborg remained plugged into the wall behind him, motionless, aside from the twitching every so often. As he began to undo the ridiculous amount of plugs, a sudden buzzing in his pocket distracted him.  
  
"Gah!", he yelped dropping the defective robot to the shabby carpeted floor. Cyborg Noodle fell over on her side sparking from the impact on her head colliding with the floor. Murdoc's amateur hands were equipped to deal with minuscule injuries, not high-grade sentient weaponry. The reset he initiated wasn't going quite as he'd hoped, the cyborg exhibited irrational behavior and clumsy movements ever since he dabbled with trying to alter her learning state. "Tch shit", Murdoc spat throwing a bit of a tantrum with his head hung backward. Reaching into his back pocket, he sighed, bringing the receiver to his pointed ear, "What?"  
  
"So you lied to me?", immediately answered from the other end. His rotten heart skipped a beat at the familiar voice, and he sighed again with an idea of who it was, "Dunno, I say a lot of things and lie whenever it's beneficial, you're going to have to be more specific on whatever you're going on about..."  
  
"You know where she is", the voice cackled, "Meryn's been with you all along, hasn't she?"  
  
Murdoc smirked, placing his free hand on his ancient hip, "Heh I thought that was you, darling, did you come around to spending the night with me? If so, I'm afraid that offers expired." Caught in a lie, with yet another person coming to know his true diabolical selfish nature. It was no different than any of the other hundred times it'd happened before. The green man knew himself well, and people even better. His positive standing with others never lasted long, and when it ended, he always had the same nonchalant confession in a variety of infuriating responses. This girl was no different. Ruri went quiet for a moment, her disgust and contempt could be felt through the phone without her saying anything. "What's wrong?", he boasted lazily closing his eyes, "Not going to yell at me? Is there nothing you want to say?"  
  
"...You're a fool, this little crush you have on her and the lies you tell yourself, they'll have to be your downfall."  
  
"Hm, I don't know about that, darling. You seem to be the only fool here believing in the things I say...", Murdoc went numb, reopening his eyes to the bitter lonely reality that he subjected himself to. Straight-faced, he kept his eyes forward and stood tall with a lack of remorse. Guilt was something he'd overcame a long time ago, and he wouldn't be revisiting any of that weakness again. It was no big deal, Ruri was just a one time fling who happened to be introduced to him by the young woman he had unrequited feelings for. So what?  
  
Tossed aside like yesterday's news, Ruri remained stricken on the other end unable to convey the disappointment and dread vibrating within. She could only chuckle, assumably she was shaking her head and trying to gather the words to describe him. "Anything?", he asked again with his finger hovering over the dial, "Now's the only chance you've got." What was there to say here that he hadn't heard before? She sighed, her somber breath reaching him through the receiver, "What's the point? You're going to be alone forever anyway. I could almost feel sorry for you if you weren't already dead on the inside."  
  
"Cute", he said rather intrigued, "Never heard that one before." The unkempt nail came down harsh on the button and the line clicked. "Now that that's over...", Murdoc mumbled dialing in a quick number, "To find the kid..."  
  
The line rang and rang, at the last ring it was finally answered," Ello?"  
  
"Where the hell are you face-ache?", Murdoc spat out with his patience dwindling. "...Do'ya really wanna kno?", 2D chuckled defiantly holding back a reply he was dying to say. "Don't make me repeat myself you tit. Where. Are. You?", the question came again with even less patience. Smug laughter lined his reply, "Hehe weeeeell, rioght now I'm bout 7 inches deep in Meryn." The audacity and gall of such a statement could almost send Murdoc over the edge. His fist clenched, and his jaw tightened in anger, "You best tell me a location that isn't Ryn's used up community piss-pot pipeline, or I'll be shoving my foot up yours when I find you."  
  
"What did he just say--?", she shouted from the other end and shuffling ensued nosily, only stopped by 2D succumbing to a legitimate answer, "OK, OK! We're comin' back--Stop it, Kat!" Murdoc grunted snatching the remainder of cords from their ports, "You and the slag meet me at the car or both your asses are mine." A breath containing an earful began on the other end, but he didn't care to hear his front man finish the deed OR demand he give her any amount of respect. He quickly hung up on the second person having an effect on him and lifted the switch on the Cyborg's head. Cyborg Noodle's eyes opened wide, and her form came to life rising up off the carpet below. "We're leaving", Murdoc murmured pointing at the locked door. The robot trudged forward in her combat boots, and punched a hole through the wooden barrier, unlocking the door on the other side, she shoved it open, a bit too hard as it came off the hinges. It didn't matter to him, as far as he was concerned, the entire concert hall could burn to the ground after being denied the one thing that sustained him.  
  
Past all the unimportant faces, blurred out in a perpetual disconnect, Murdoc left the building of unfulfilled dreams behind angrily trudging to the Camaro parked outside. Waiting for him, was the pair. 2D leaned with his bony body against the car, his companion stood turned away beside him with her arms folded at her chest. The moment he saw the approaching green man, he sprung from his casual stance in a bit of a panic, "S-Sorry bout tha'...We jus--"  
  
A swift open hand popped 2D in his unsuspecting mouth, knocking the spit out of any excuse he could come up with. "Shut it", Murdoc commanded grabbing the lanky man by his collar, "Both of you get in."  He opened the door, and shoved his form inside, ignoring how clumsily 2D capsized and bumped his head against the roof. Murdoc didn't bother forcing Meryn to do anything. She barely acknowledged him at all, keeping her eyes forward no matter what and rounded the car herself settling into the back seat behind her lover. "Feh", Murdoc shrugged nudging the false guitarist standing idly beside him, "Get in."  
  
The cyborg slid in beside Meryn, and Murdoc took his place in the driver's seat. The phone in his back pocket suddenly began to ring again. Fiddling with it, he quickly silenced it and threw it at his feet. Mismatched eyes flickered to Meryn in the rearview mirror, still keeping up with the silent treatment going on now for 6 months. Inwardly, it was really beginning to bother him. Turning the key, the car rumbled to life and he switched the gearshift to drive, "I need a drink..."  
  
"Are we goin' to a pub?", 2D asked rubbing his aching head. He looked back with a pained expression over his shoulder, "If we go, I'll buy yew a drink Kat--And maybe I'll get t'use tha' weird mask fing I found back at that one vendor." Meryn smiled a little offering a meek nod leaning forward to smooth his blue spikes back in place. Murdoc begrudgingly stomped on the gas, sending her flying back against the seat. Her lips tightened, she appeared to be holding back the urge to blurt something especially hateful out, but she remained composed placing hands shaking with animosity gently in her lap. Sitting back in her seat, she shimmied for the far corner, practically on top of the door if it meant sitting as far away from the cyborg as possible. For the time being, it seemed to be functioning, but after the reset Cyborg Noodle was more off-putting than before. It's head turned towards her, and she immediately looked down to her feet, keeping the false Noodle in her peripheral, should it make a move. Subconsciously, Meryn held her arm protectively, fearing it would be snatched from its socket again. The cellphone near Murdoc's feet went off again, buzzing about and forgotten as the Camaro full of unhappy faces took off down the road.

* * *

"Bastard...", Ruri said under her breath, angry at the green man and herself for not trusting her gut intuition when she saw him a few months back. Honey colored eyes looked out over the horizon at endless waves. "Hmph", she hastily pushed her hair being her ears, to keep the ocean breeze from messing up her hair. She wasn't sure what to do, or how things had gotten so complicated in a short period of time. Boarding a cruise ship from Japan to America, she expected to do what she came for. Play some sets, profit a little, and lay back enjoying the trip to Hawaii, Mexico, and back. Instead of enjoying herself or kickstarting her little gigs and drinking the night away, Ruri had to tend to the worried elderly couple that called in distress of their granddaughter's whereabouts. Even more bizarre, was the way information traveled from a supposed stranger in Pennsylvania to Meryn's estranged older sister in Atlanta and finally to the Kanno's in metropolitan Tokyo. How the hell was she not the first one to know? The annoyance of the unanswered question kept her up all night until it finally clicked.  
  
The Skype calls from a foreign number.  
  
That was it. Her.  
  
Ruri groaned and turned back to her bandmates with a dumbfound look all over her face. "What's wrong?", the youngest asked lifting his head from the table. All familiar faces of her High School group that she founded sat around mid-morning the day after their final gig for this voyage. The boat was to reach Hawaii in the next hour or so before they'd be off to their final destination. Everyone was as she remembered. James, Chigusa, and Ryu had only changed slightly in appearance, otherwise, they were exactly the same with only time in between. "Um", Ryu asked again sitting up straight. Everyone from the olden days was in attendance, all except for one.  
  
"You guys remember Meryn right?", she said reluctantly finally giving in.  
  
The silent raven haired guitarist almost chuckled, opening his eyes from his hungover state, "Of course, who could forget Lil-Miss-Stage-Fright and her shitty dye job?" Ruri glared out of the corner of her narrowing eyes, "You didn't seem to mind when you were dating her, James."   
  
"H-how is she?", their youngest member said rolling his eyes at the jab of his facetious older brother. A gradual grin began to stretch across his freckled face at the very mention of her name. "Well, not too good", Ruri groaned sliding her hand down her face taking the majority of it as she went along, "Do you count being held hostage as doing alright?" A multitude of confused and concerned glances was exchanged amongst their little group. "In jail again?", James snickered taking a sip from his glass. "Sora", she snapped, "How was the drunk 50-year-old divorce you bailed on us for last night?"  
  
James rolled his eyes, "Wow, using my real name? Calm down, it was just a joke."  
  
"Yeah, a bad one...", Ryu murmured.  
  
"When you bail, you're no longer 'James', you become that goofy Final Fantasy reject from Kingdom Hearts.", Ruri began to shout, "We had to find a last minute replacement on a fucking tourist cruise line--Do you know how unlikely it is to find a guitarist among a bunch of middle-aged day drinkers and their kids?!"   
  
"Well, you found one so let's move on shall we?" The only one who hadn't spoken was Chigusa, but she was always quite soft-spoken and reserved despite her drumming talent. She sat quietly, looking elsewhere into the crowd of people going about their vacations. She perked up a bit in her seat eying the one who'd been a lifesaver to their performance last night. "We should properly thank her for last night", Chigusa finally chimed in, "Should I get her?" Ryu's brow rose to notice the odd appearance," Hm, she's wearing the same thing from yesterday..."  
  
Ruri shook her head waving her hands about dismissively, "Uh yeah sure, fine invite her over." The petite drummer nodded, tucking in her chair and smoothing her dress neatly in place. Running off for the kind stranger of last night, the back and forths continued on between them. "But Ruri, what do you mean? Should we call the police?", Ryu asked shifting his eyes between his brother and their leader. "And send them where exactly?", the less than calm woman answered," She's somewhere in Chile but I don't know where!"  
  
"Why didn't you ask?", James quickly came to his brother's defense.  
  
"Why would a captor TELL me where he's keeping her?"  
  
"Dunno, why'd you believe the fucker in the first place?", he bounced back her hostility, "Wasn't she with that one guy the last time you talked to him?"   
  
"Murdoc said a lot of things!", Ruri snapped, "Don't put this all on me!"  
  
Even the arguments these two had hadn't changed, with Ryu sitting uncomfortably in the middle of them and all.  
  
  
  
"Murdoc?"  
  
Heads turned at the question, the girl from last night's gig was as peculiar as before. "Oh, um hi", Ruri switched gears fixing the foul tug of her lips,"We wanted to thank you for filling in last night--" She couldn't help but to eye the getup whilst trying to complete the half-assed thought, "C-Could we buy you a drink or something?"  
  
The strange girl never said a word, instead, she pointed to an item on the menu with the tap of her finger. Welcoming herself to their table, she plopped down beside Ruri as if they'd met somewhere before. "Sure", Ruri said a tad bit weirded out raising her hand to hail the nearest wait staff over. The person behind the mask turned fully to face her, crossing her leg over the other. She lifted the mask slightly, just enough to expose her mouth lined by a small smile, "You should get off on the next stop, and find another way back home." They all exchanged a series of expressions. The bizarre advice was beaten only by the attire the young woman wore. Winding her bare foot around with the rotation of her ankle, short thin legs covered by striped thigh highs and a short white pocketed dress. A mask with a drawn on design dually resembling a cat and a butterfly somehow.  
  
The drink order came quicker than expected and clanked on the table, only to be immediately tossed back and slammed back down on the wooden surface. They watched it, a scenario seen only in movies usually carried out by a skilled and confident assassin. Ruri felt a chill travel up her spine in the presence of danger, "Why do you say that?"  
  
The mysterious young woman looked over her shoulder at the approaching Honolulu skyline. Messy black hair caught in the breeze fluttered about, restricted by the mask. She remained silent for a moment, with her lips held tight in a straight line, but when she finally parted them, what she said couldn't have been more unsettling.  
  
"You won't survive it."  
  
It struck a cord no matter random it was or how suspicious she should be of this stranger, some part of Ruri believed it. A mix of surprised faces surrounded her and intuition nagged at the doubt held within. Whatever this person was alluding to, seemed to be a pending imminence. The cruiseliner Ruri booked was almost a part of some bigger picture that she and her old classmates weren't allowed to see. Happening to be booked for this cruise, soon after revisiting her old school age hobby, and turning her dream into a profit. Years of doing any and everything, she'd almost forgotten the true passion she had and the people who'd inspired it. Sol was the foundation of Ruri's dreams, his memory, his own dreams, and his golden all-seeing eyes that saw the potential in them, in Meryn. She wouldn't let them be forgotten. She was just sorry that a lowlife Murdoc Niccals had to be the one to remind her. The image of her dearest friend, bleeding out all of her grief on the wooden floor was forever etched in her memories but covered in the clutter of too many lives led. In the midst of Murdoc's unrequited interest in her best friend, she shed light on her own.  
  
Sol had gone, and with him, went her drive. But the summer sun beat down on her, warming Ruri from the inside out. Everything could be fixed when brought to light, as everything seemed to happen for a reason. Ruri found herself smirking on a hunch. Murdoc's deception, Sol's passing, and her neglected dream all had one thing in common. Meryn. The grin grew wider working its way across her face, as the mysterious person became familiar.  
  
"Are you who I think you are?"  
  
"Classified", the masked small woman smirked back rising from the table, "Last night was fun. I haven't played a set in a while. Private gigs like that are some of the best times with the band, no?"  
  
Ruri couldn't help but smile, "It was an honor."  
  
"Likewise, now I'll take care of the rest and let's leave Murdoc out of this shall we?", she adjusted the mask, flashing a bright white smile and turned on her heel, "See you soon, I hope." She walked off leaving the majority of the table as flabbergasted and suspicious as when she arrived, except for Ruri who sat a bit flustered, too in her head to address the stricken faces of her group. "Who WAS that?", Ryu asked when he could no longer take the lack of explanation. "We're getting off, everyone pack up", she answered staring starry-eyed as if she'd just encountered a celebrity. James shifted, leaning back in his chair, "And we're supposed to blindly follow you because--?"  
  
"Shhhhhhhh", she interrupted abruptly placing a finger on to his lips before he could continue, "I'll meet you on the docks."  
  
"B-But what about Meryn?", Ryu said looking to Chigusa for help. The two of them seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Don't worry", Ruri assured, "I think it's taken care of."  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sketched a picture of the not happy couple being happy on their beach date before it got sad.


End file.
